Employers can help young employees transition from the classroom to the workplace by being clear about the skills they’re looking for, says Gemma Kenyon, director of careers and employability at City St. George’s, University of London.

“We hear from students that there’s a lot of different language around skills and expectations, so I think being really clear about what you’re looking for will enable students to be intentional and strategic when they’re thinking about their skill development at university. And of course, offering work experience opportunities is crucial.”

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She notes generation Z and generation alpha are prioritizing work-life balance and an employer who is more value-oriented. “They recognize there’s no such thing as a ‘job for life’ now. They’re embracing this notion of portfolio careers and side hustles and thinking very entrepreneurially. And I think we’re stepping up in universities to cater to that, and [speak to how to] start a business or a side hustle. We also work with employers that really speak to the values of students and getting them to articulate those values [to prospective workers].”

Notably, a survey that Kenyon conducted with Arlington Research found many Canadian students are looking overseas for stronger career outcomes, with 68 per cent currently studying abroad and another 32 per cent considering it.

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At universities in the U.K., many career-building elements — like employer engagement and skills training — are built into the curriculum from day one, which is something Canadian students are actively looking for in their higher education, she adds.

The survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian students, found 87 per cent said employability skills training was among their top five criteria when choosing a university, while 83 per cent cited work experience opportunities as a deciding factor and 78 per cent prioritized post-study work options.

“What this says to me is students are very aware of the fact that it’s a skills marketplace and they’ll need to be able to transition to a lot of different tasks when they get into the workplace. The knowledge they’re gaining at university is only part of the picture of what they have to offer to an employer. It’s really those employability skills that are going to enable them to make a quick transition in the workplace, both as an early level talent, but also as they progress to more senior roles.”

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