MONITORING STUDENTS’ EMPLOYABILITY AT THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, VILNIUS UNIVERSITY

An analysis of employability of university graduates in the labour market indicates that not all competences acquired by graduates are equally counted by employers. Usually they are looking for professionals who are needed at the organisations for the solution of current tasks when universities train wide profile and universal specialists who are capable to perform a large variety of functions. Each university has its own view which competences are the most important for graduates.

The Faculty of Economics has a rich experience in dealing with students’ employability issue as most of students are employed already during second or third year of their undergraduate studies. For some students employment is required to cover study and living expenses but for most of them it is a source of competences needed for a successful career. An analysis carried out by Lithuanian Study Centre for Research and Studies disclosed that every forth undergraduate student was working during his studies and that acquired work experience determined a better adaptation at the start of job after graduation and a positive attitude of employers that resulted in higher salaries in comparison to those who were not employed when studying (Bandomojo longitudinio absolventų karjeros stebėjimo tyrimo ataskaita. Mokslo ir studijų tyrimo centras. Vilnius, 2015).

The monitoring of job careers of students and graduates allows identifying the competences which are required by employers and already during studies permits the development of employability skills (Absolventų karjeros stebėsena. Mokslo ir studijų tyrimo centras. Vilnius, 2015; B. Kubler, P. Forbes. Student Employability Profiles. A Guide for Employers.2015).

Paper examines the employment of bachelor and master students as well as graduates since 2010 emphasising the attitudes of different groups on acquired skills. The paper also carries out a comparative analysis of graduates’ employability and salaries after graduation. At the end, study results are used to propose the adjustment of study programmes and teaching methods in order to enhance the employability of graduates.