Abstract:

Many business leaders and employers express their frustration about the skills, competencies, and knowledge of job candidates, recent college graduates or people who have been on the job market for a while. Many blame universities in poor preparation of students for employment or providing opportunities for enhancing knowledge, skills, and competencies of those who already have academic degrees.
There will be the need for members of the current workforce to upskill or even change their careers several times during their life. Human capital development is one of the strategic priorities identified in Kazakhstan 2050. What will be the role of Kazakhstani universities in contributing to the sustainable development of the country and professional growth of its citizens?.

I will explore various scenarios, based on international experiences, of how Kazakhstani universities can proactively address issues of employability, upskilling, human capital development, and lifelong learning.

The following aspects will be explored:
1. Engagement of universities and employers
o University-employer partnerships
o Advisory boards
o Targeted internships
o Team teaching of faculty and practitioners in the field
o Employment clusters
2. Portable, stackable credentials as a model for academic and labor market success
o Vertical
o Horizontal
o Value-added

Readers will benefit from the comprehensive overview of possible scenarios and access to resources to describe various examples.

Keywords:

Employability, stackable credentials, university, higher education.