Words by Stephan Fortier, regional vice-president for the UK and Europe at Instructure.
For today’s university students, landing a good job after graduation isn’t just an aspiration – it’s an expectation. However, with workplaces constantly evolving, traditional university degrees alone are no longer enough to help students secure a great job. Employers are increasingly looking for candidates who have job-ready skills from day one, and students are keenly aware of this.
The problem? Traditional learning models, which are still used by some universities, don’t fully prepare students for the realities of today’s job market.
Polling from the Office for Students has found that nearly a third of students in the UK worry that their university degree won’t help them secure a high-paying job. According to recent YouGov data, student dissatisfaction is on the rise, driven by limited career support, financial strain and a feeling that they are graduating without employable skills.
Many students feel they didn’t have the right options for their education in the first place. A report published by the University of Bristol, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Advance HE revealed that nearly half of undergraduate students said they would have made different choices about their education with hindsight. Among those, 40 per cent stressed the need for more career support from their school. Many also expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility at their school, either finding it difficult to change courses or not knowing what options were available to them.
Universities are already facing significant funding challenges, and declining enrolment numbers suggest that rising dissatisfaction is having an impact. It’s an alarming trend that highlights a deeper problem involving more than just a disconnect between what universities are offering and what employers are demanding. It calls for modernisation in the course models and the technology that supports them.
A university degree needs to not only provide theoretical knowledge but also prepare students for real-world employment and real-life scenarios where they will juggle multiple responsibilities. However, the reality is that many students graduate with little workplace experience, making job-hunting an uphill battle. According to the Office for National Statistics, one in seven people aged 16 to 24 in the UK were not in work, education or training at the end of last year – the highest level in over a decade.
A great way for universities to ensure they are providing employability-driven education, and aligning with what students want, is to increase their flexibility in course offerings and modernise the technology that supports them. One clear solution is embedding short courses that build job-ready skills into traditional degree programmes. Delivered as part of or separate from a programme and leveraging the institution's virtual learning environment (VLE), these short courses offer a flexible, low-cost way for universities to expand their offerings without overhauling their entire curriculum. They help students build practical skills without changing their primary area of study, making them more confident and employable after graduation.
These courses can also attract a broad range of students, including those who might not want to commit to a full degree, supporting enrolment and helping universities remain financially sustainable as the education landscape continues to shift.
A recent policy note from HEPI and Instructure outlined key recommendations for making university education more flexible and better aligned with workforce needs. These include:
- Embedding short courses into existing degrees: Universities should integrate industry-recognised short courses into curricula, allowing students to earn certifications as part of their degrees
- Utilising VLEs: Digital VLE platforms make it easier than ever to deliver short courses in a flexible, accessible format. Universities should invest in high-quality digital learning tools to ensure students can gain skills on their own schedules
- Partnering with employers for course design: Universities must work hand-in-hand with businesses to ensure their courses align with the skills employers are looking for
- Promoting awareness and accessibility: A national campaign to highlight the value of short-course credentials would help shift perceptions and increase student uptake
Embedding short courses into existing degrees
Short, modular courses – certifications in industry-specific skills that can be completed in a shorter timeframe – give students more of the support they are looking for in their university education. Offering microcredentials tailored to students’ industry-specific interests, which can be delivered via a university’s VLE, would give students the flexibility they want, boost their confidence in their skills, and enhance their appeal to future employers.
This would not only make universities more financially stable but also create a dynamic and responsive education system that provides students with more agency over their learning journey. Universities could attract students who might otherwise forgo higher education altogether while ensuring that more graduates leave with both academic knowledge and practical skills to enter the workforce with confidence.
Partnering with employers to shape course content
In November 2024, the HEPI-Instructure policy note called for a unified policy approach to flexible learning that considers both universities and industries. While policymakers debate these changes, universities shouldn’t wait; they can start working with businesses now to ensure graduates are equipped with in-demand skills.
Too often, students graduate without a clear understanding of what employers are looking for. This lack of guidance is a major barrier to employment. According to a survey by the King’s Trust, nearly one in five unemployed young people are applying for jobs every day without success.
By collaborating with employers, universities can identify which short courses would provide the greatest value. Whether it’s digital marketing, coding, data analysis, project management or industry-specific certifications, embedding these skills into degree programmes would ensure that graduates are job-ready when they leave university.
Making higher education flexible for the future
The future of education is now. Offering short-course, skills-based credentials should not be an add-on; it’s a necessity for universities if they want to remain relevant, serve their students effectively and align with the needs of an evolving global workforce.
Students want to be employable and confident in their skills. By modernising their offerings and embracing a more flexible, skills-based approach, universities can close the gap between education and employment and lead the way in shaping a future-ready, student-driven education system.
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