Transitioning from University student to an IT professional

Abstract

As a result of the continuous changes occurring within the contemporary workplace employers are questioning recent graduates’ ability to adapting to such a dynamic environment. The need for this study is particularly important due to the registered growth which the Maltese economy is currently experiencing which is requiring graduates with an increasingly diversified set of skills to assist organisations accomplish their objectives. The purpose of this study is to analyse the transition IT graduates experience between university and employment, by identifying the skills which employers deem to be beneficial for the employability of recent graduates within the IT sector. This study also analyses the extent towards which university study prepares graduates for employment. Furthermore, it determines whether or not internships assist graduates in acquiring the skills necessary to improve their employability and subsequently ease their transition from university to employment. This researcher investigated the concept of graduate employability within the context of B.Sc. (Hons) Business and IT graduates transitioning between university and full-time employment focusing on three specific research questions, these being; (a) What are the main employability skills which improve the employability of recent graduates?; (b) To what extent does university study prepare graduates for employment?; and (c) Should internships become part of the degree? In order to answer these questions, the researcher sought to critically analyse the opinions and perspectives of HR Directors/Managers and IT Directors/Managers within the field by means of qualitative research, with semi-structured interviews acting as the research tool. From the results obtained, this researcher believes that students ought to start acquiring relevant work experience whilst still at university, as this will surely benefit them both academically and professionally. As a means to increase students’ chances of gaining employability skills and acquiring relevant work experience in line with their studies, the introduction of internships within the degree may prove to be a viable alternative to the traditional approach. Moreover, all participants stated that internships contribute to the employability of university students and it is an ideal strategy to prepare them for their career. Participants express that such an internship programme ought to be conducted during the summer recess between the students’ second and final year of their undergraduate degree. Internships may also reinforce the relationship between education and industry, which may lead to more graduates being prepared for their professional career. Hence, this researcher believes that if graduates have the right skills, not only will they successfully transition from a university student to an IT professional, but they will also progress seamlessly along their career.