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Bentley University Preparedness Study
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OVERVIEW Millennials are expected to compose the largest work force in U.S. history. But are they prepared?
In October 2013, Bentley University
commissioned KRC Research to conduct
the Millennial Preparedness Study to define
the preparedness gap that millennials face
in today’s workplace.
Insights from the study—which represents the
single-most comprehensive survey on millennial
preparedness in the workplace—are helping
inform the PreparedU Project, a collaborative,
dialogue-driven initiative that seeks solutions
to the preparedness gap.
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THE RESEARCH Do millennials feel prepared for their first job and career? Is the higher education
model successfully preparing graduates with the skills and experience they
need to be workforce-ready? What is the business community’s role in shaping
millennials’ success?
There’s an apparent preparedness gap between students, employers, and higher
education. That’s why we launched the PreparedU Project and partnered with
KRC Research to develop this groundbreaking study, which included:
KRC Research conducted 3,149 interviews among nine unique audiences. Fieldwork took place between October 17 and October 25, 2013. The survey was conducted online and took an average of twenty-nine minutes to complete. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is +/- 1.75 percent. at the 95 percent confidence level, and is larger for the 9 audience sub-groups.
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DEFINING PREPAREDNESSThe preparedness gap exists in part because there is no common definition about what preparedness is—and that gap is most evident between businesses and students.
WHAT IS PREPAREDNESS?
BUSINESS DECISION- MAKER
“Having prior work experience is a must. Helps the individual gather a work ethic, learn to work with others, and
with time management.”
PARENT OF A COLLEGE STUDENT
“Preparedness means having the skills-based knowledge
necessary to do the job, but also the discipline, maturity, and social
skills necessary to succeed.”
PARENT OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
“A prepared graduate would come out of college prepared to learn and
play their part of the team.”
16% EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION24% SKILLS23%
PERSONAL TRAITS17%
WORK ETHIC15% OTHER10%
HOW IS IT DEFINED?
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MEET THE STAKEHOLDERS
BUSINESS DECISION-MAKERSThose with hiring influence for businesses
CORPORATE RECRUITERSThose who actively recruit employees
HIGHER ED INFLUENTIALSThose who influence curriculum in higher education
PARENTS OF STUDENTSThose with one or more children who are juniors or seniors in high school or college
COLLEGE STUDENTSThose who currently attend an accredited four-year college or university
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSThose who are currently a junior or senior
RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATESThose who graduated within the past five years
GENERAL POPULATION Americans over the age of 18
Each participant had their own story to tell. Each has a unique perspective.
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BUSINESS DECISION-MAKERS
One in five BDMs include personal traits as part of the definition of preparedness. Co-Founder,
Chief Creative Optimist, Life is good
of business people give even the grads they have hired a grade of “C” or lower on being prepared.
of business decision-makers give colleges and universities a “C” or lower on preparing recent college grads for their first jobs.
say work ethic is part of the definition of preparedness.
61%
mor
e th
an
half
41%
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RECRUITERS
Recruiter, Hollister Staffing
of corporate recruiters give recent college graduates a “C” on preparedness for their first jobs.Only 9 percent give them an “A.”
say that it’s difficult for their organization to manage millennials.
say hard and soft skills are equally important for success in the work force.
61%
68%
Six in 10 say they wish students had developed more soft skills in college.
say that retaining millennials is an issue for their organization.
62%
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HIGHER EDINFLUENTIALS
Professor, Bentley University
62%
Nine in 10 of higher ed influentials agree it’s possible for colleges and universities to increase efforts to help prepare students for their first job without harming education quality or raising tuition.
give recent college grads a “C” or lower on preparedness for their first job, the fourth highest of any audience.
Higher education should provide quantifiable outcomes, such as high job placement, graduation rate and job retention rate.
Recent College Students
Parents
High School Students
Corporate Recruiters
Business Decision-Makers
Higher Ed Influentials
80%
76%
78%
73%
71%
64%
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Father of a high school student
PARENTS
of parents of college students believe the education and preparation that their son or daughter is gaining is worth the cost. 38 percent disagree.
Four in 10 strongly agree and 87 percent strongly or somewhat agree that parents should encourage their children to take business courses because they teach skills applicable to any career.
29% of parents of college students give their own child in college a “C” or below.
of parents of high school and college students give recent grads a grade of “C” or lower on preparedness for their first jobs.
63%
62%
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COLLEGE STUDENTS
Student, Berklee College of Music
of college students are confident that graduating from college is a sign that someone is prepared to enter the work force.
of millennials believe that older generations don’t understand them.
of college students give recent college graduates a grade of “C” or lower.
41 percent of college students give a grade of “C” or lower to colleges and universities on how well they are preparing recent college graduates for their first job.
Student, Boston College
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSagree that it’s the role of higher education to provide outcomes like job placement.
Student, Medford High School
Three in four agree that a college diploma is a sign that someone is likely to be successful in his or her first job.
agree that a skills assessment test would be useful to help figure out their college major and career path.
feel a college degree guarantees success in life.
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RECENT COLLEGE GRADS
College Graduate, St. Michael’s University
of recent college graduates say that unpreparedness is a real problem among their own cohort.
agree that it’s the role of higher education to provide outcomes like job placement.
Recent college graduates blame their lack of preparedness on:
Nearly four in 10 recent college graduates grade their OWN level of preparedness as a “C” or lower.
75%
Themselves
High school
Parents
Businesses
Colleges & Universities
60%
18%
15%13%
42%
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SOLUTIONS How can students, parents,
higher education and businesses
work together to close the gap?
It’s a team effort, after all.
Using research from the
Preparedness Study, we explore
four possible solutions to bridging
the preparedness gap.
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16 SOLUTIONS WERE TESTEDAGREE DISAGREE
Students must commit to being life-long learners both inside the classroom and beyond.
College learning must incorporate and blend together academics and hands-on learning.
Colleges need to incorporate cutting-edge technology throughout their campuses to familiarize
their students with the latest tech capabilities
Colleges & universities must improve career services by understanding what business look for in internships,
resumes, cover letters, and interviews.
Colleges and universities need to work harder at defining proper fit for applicants via counseling
and/or skills and interests testing.
Parents should encourage their children to take business classes because they teach skills
that can be applied to any career.
Business professionals enter the classroom as lecturers to impart their real-world expertise to students.
Career services must begin freshman year of college for all students.
94% 6%93% 7%
90% 10%
87% 13%
86% 14%
85% 15%
86% 14%
85% 15%
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16 SOLUTIONS WERE TESTEDAGREE DISAGREE
84% 16%
84% 16%82% 18%77% 23%74% 26%
70% 30%65% 35%61% 39%
Colleges and universities need to develop and implement more programs to encourage women to pursue business
education & leadership opportunities.
Students must realize that a combination of business skills and arts and sciences will help them land jobs and
advance throughout their career.
Internships need to be mandatory for students in order to gain real-world experience.
Businesses work with colleges/universities to update and revise business curriculum.
Students must prepare to be “prepared” by beginning their college career - on Day One - with a clear set of goals
and objectives for their education.
Colleges and universities need to integrate liberal arts and business courses into a single curriculum.
Business classes are mandatory in all colleges and universities for all majors.
More students should go to graduate school to become more prepared for their FIRST JOBS and their careers.
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Colleges and universities need to combine academics with hands-on learning and technology.
“Higher education should ensure
that graduates have problem solving and
communication skills, and strive to instill
critical thinking and responsible
citizenship.”
PROFESSOR PERSPECTIVE
ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
agree that college learning must incorporate and blend together academics and hands-on learning.
of higher education influentials strongly agree that this should happen and that they are a part of the solution.
SOLUTIONS
Professor, Bentley University
SOLUTIONS IN ACTION
Colleges Need to Help Kids Hit the Ground Running
Internships: Career 101 Training
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ROLE OF PARENTSParents should play an active role in encouraging their children to take business classes.
PARENT PERSPECTIVE
“It’s one thing to educate a child with
facts and figures. I am trying to teach my son
to seek understanding— use rational thinking,
ask smart questions and encouragement to
challenge himself.”
strongly or somewhat agree that as a solution, parents should encourage their children to take business classes because they teach skills applicable to any career.
SOLUTIONS
Father of a high school student
SOLUTIONS IN ACTION
Reasons Why You Should Consider Business Degrees For Your Child
Prep Your Kids For A Life of Change
85%
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ROLE OF BUSINESSBusinesses should partner with colleges and universities in developing business curricula while imparting “real-world expertise” to students.
of total respondants think businesses need to work with higher education to improve career services.
Four in 10 Business Decision-Makers agree strongly they should do their part and work with higher education to provide students with real-world advice.
SOLUTIONS
BUSINESS DECISION-MAKER PERSPECTIVE
“The millennials that we’re hiring
today measure and weigh—very heavily—
the meaning behind their work, as opposed to
the salary, schedule or benefits.”
Co-Founder, Chief Creative Optimist, Life is good
SOLUTIONS IN ACTION
Mazda Works with Students to Improve Customer Experience
Ernst & Young Transforms Curriculum to Reflect Industry Trends
87%
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SOLUTIONS
ROLE OF STUDENTS
“My advice to students? Work
hard, always use good judgment and seek mentorship…be humble, it will
pay off.”
RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE
Students must commit to being life-long learners both inside the classroom and beyond.
of students strongly agree that they are putting the onus on themselves to be prepared.
of higher education Influentials feel the most strongly about this solution.
Recruiter, Hollister Staffing
SOLUTIONS IN ACTION Commit to Adopting Technology
Hard-Won Lessons for Those Starting a Career
JOIN THE CONVERSATION. FOLLOW @BENTLEYU
GET INVOLVEDThese eight individuals have lent their faces and voices to our project. From college grads to corporate recruiters, each has a unique role in finding solutions to the preparedness gap. While their voices are heard here, yours is just as important.
Tell us what preparedness means to you.
Here are a few thought starters:
Did you feel prepared for your first job after college? What about your career?
How does the preparedness problem impact you?
What piece of advice would you give to educators as they prepare a new generation for the work force?
How can businesses help?