What is ‘Employability’ and how do you make sure you have it?

According to experts in the area of career development, the term ‘employability’ refers to a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations. This is in turn benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. At this stage in the year Leaving Cert Students are well into the process of trying to decide what step they want to take next. It is a daunting task for many of you because of the variety of choices available and the challenge for young people at 17 or 18 years of age to really know what career they might like. A big concern for many students and parents is whether they will get a job at the end of their chosen course or pathway. While we have some indications of where there will be skills shortages in the short to medium term, the jobs market is subject to change.

One thing we can be sure of is that, regardless of what pathway a Leaving Cert Student takes, be that Further Education courses (FET), traineeships, apprenticeships or university courses, on completion of your training and education you will want to be ‘employable’. In simple terms ‘employability’ depends on your knowledge (what you know) your skills (what you do with what you know) and your attitude (how you approach things). As you research the various options open to you after you finish school, remember you are heading into a working world which values transferable skills which include specialist knowledge in the subject, field of study or technical area you have chosen to follow. It also places huge emphasis on having the ability to analyse, evaluate and use information effectively to problem-solve and to organise and communicate knowledge well. Furthermore, your personal qualities are a core part of your offering to a potential employer – your ability to work on your own initiative, to self-manage, to manage time and meet targets and deadlines. Central to all of this of course is the ability to collaborate, to work and study as part of a team.

If you are struggling to decide between courses or options, focus on an area that you really want to find out more about. Work hard on developing the transferable skills already mentioned and all of the other things you do add value to your degree/qualification. Take opportunities to become competent in the skills which employers across multiple sectors are looking for. This is not confined to work placement, many of the assessment methods in the various education and training pathways focus on demonstrating the ability to work together as part of a team, to communicate effectively, to manage time, show initiative and creativity, to analyse and problem-solve. All such skills can also be demonstrated in your part time work, your extra-curricular activities, travel and through volunteering. As you take the next step, try to focus less on ‘Will I have a job at the end of this?’ and more on ‘Will I have developed my knowledge and a range of ‘soft’ and ‘transferable’ skills which will ensure my ‘employability’ over the longer term?’ Jobs and employment trends are constantly evolving and career pathways change regularly. Having the ability to adapt to and manage change in the workplace and in your own career journey is a core aspect of ‘employability’ in the modern world of work.