Toward a Stakeholder Focused Curriculum: Examining Higher Education Graduates in Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which higher educational employers considered the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS, 1991) and competencies as those that are necessary in business and industry. The extent that employers and managers perceived graduate employees as sufficiently possessing SCANS skills and competencies was also determined. Existing differences between the two data sets are then examined. This study suggested that the workplace basic skills and competencies identified in the SCANS report are perceived to be valid and necessary for business and industries. The three most important employability skills employers need for graduates to possess are: “Adequacy of Knowledge in Appropriate Field”, “Capacity to act ethically” and “Ability to Apply Knowledge in Practice”. Gap analysis revealed that few items could be employed to modify and enhance the existing college curriculum. The employability skills most in need of curriculum enhancement included “Social responsibility”, while the employability skills least in need of curriculum enhancement included “Present well reasoned argument”.