Inviting students to talk the talk: developing employability skills in accounting education through industry-led experiences

Figures & data

Table 1. Response rate.

Response rate	2020 pre-task survey	2021 pre-task survey	2022 pre-task survey	Total
Students enrolled	42	34	34	110
Student responses	16	17	10	43
Response rate	38%	50%	29%	39%

Table 2. Pre-task results from 43 responses *7-point Likert scale.

Pre-WIL responses	Statement	% agree	Overall mean across all instances
	Key employability skills that employers are looking for include:
	Ability to work in a team	97.67
	Oral communication	93.02
	Problem-solving skills	88.37
	Ability to foster client relationships	81.40
	Professionalism	86.05
	Initiative	81.40
	Written communication	74.42
	Organisational skills	76.74
	Other	9.30
	*There is an over-emphasis on discipline knowledge at University (i.e. not enough time is spent on multidisciplinary employability skills)		5.51
	*Assessment tasks generally assess disciplinary knowledge, not multidisciplinary skills		5.62
	*There is a strong link between the profession and the university		4.81
	*So far, I believe my course has improved my:
	Communication skills, both oral and written		5.10
	Professional skills (e.g. email etiquette, industry knowledge, adaptability)		5.32
	Teamwork skills		5.22
	Interpersonal skills (e.g. can be transferable as client relation skills)		4.93

Table 3. Post-task scores.

Response rate	2020 post-task survey	2021 post-task survey	2022 post-task survey	Total
Students enrolled	42	34	34	110
Student responses	18	14	12	44
Response rate	43%	41%	35%	40%

Table 4. Post-task results from 44 responses using a 7-point Likert scale.

Statement	Overall mean across all instances
The subject has improved my overall disciplinary skills	6.05
The subject has improved my multidisciplinary skills	5.98
This subject has improved my employability	6.02
The WIL assessment task gave me an opportunity to practice the skills I will need in employment	6.57
I can apply disciplinary skills from this subject to new situations	6.17
I can apply transdisciplinary skills from this subject to new situations	6.12
My skills relating to working in teams has improved as a result of this subject	5.67
My interpersonal skills have improved as a result of this subject	5.74
I believe the simulated client/advisor meeting gave a practical dimension to my studies	6.49
The information from the industry-led workshops have improved my professional skills	6.15
The information from the industry-led workshops have improved my client relation skills	6.02
I would like to see more industry workshops in other subjects	6.32
Overall this subject has helped develop my professional self	6.17
I would recommend this subject to other students	6.12

Table 5. Comparison of pre- and post-task scores.

Statement	Pre-WIL mean	Post-WIL mean	Difference	p-level
This course/class has improved my:
Professional skills	5.32	6.15	0.83	0.00098*
Teamwork skills	5.22	5.67	0.45	0.09307*
Interpersonal skills	4.93	5.74	0.81	0.01097*

* Two-tailed t-test reveals a statistically significant (p-level < 5%) difference between means.

Table

[SUBJECT NAME}		Student Name …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …
2021 Assessment 2 WIL simulated client/advisor meeting		Group Number …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  … ..
Marking rubric (ORAL)		Total Mark …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  …  … ..
	Below expectations – fail grade (0–1 marks)	Meets expectations – pass to credit grade (2–3 marks)	Exceeds expectations – distinction to high distinction grade (4–5 marks)	Total
Professionalism
Greeting	Student does not greet the client or introduce themselves	Student greets the client and introduces themselves	Student warmly greets the client and introduces themselves in a friendly, professional manner	/5
Rapport	Student does not establish rapport with the client	Student is able to carry on the conversation but it can be stilted with awkward pauses	Student establishes a strong rapport with the client	/5
Persona	Student is reserved when speaking to clients leaving them in doubt of their skills	Student is confident and respectful when speaking giving clients a positive perception of their skills.	Student is confident and polished when speaking, giving clients a positive perception of their skills. Confidentiality is addressed, establishing trust	/5
Communication
Etiquette	Student occasionally speaks out of turn or interrupts, or otherwise shows disrespect to the other participants	Student occasionally speaks out of turn, but generally speaks at appropriate times and shows respect to the other participants	Student acts as a model meeting participant, speaking only at appropriate times, and showing respect to all other participants	/5
Participation	Student does not participate, or merely repeats information	Student actively participates in meeting, speaks more than once and adds new information or questions	Student actively participates in simulated meeting, speaking multiple times and adding new information/evidence/questions each time	/5
Active listening and response	Student does not provide a response to any statement or repeats what others have said	Student demonstrates active listening skills by providing responses to other statements but asks few or no questions	Student demonstrates active listening skills by providing thoughtful responses addressing specific aspects of other students’ statements, including asking questions	/5
Preparedness
Quality of presentation as evidence of preparation	Student is somewhat or not familiar with their role and provides little indication of preparation by giving irrelevant or no advice	Student is familiar with their role and gives relevant advice	Student is very familiar with their role and gives detailed, relevant information to the client indicating a broad depth of knowledge	/5
Teamwork
How well did the group work together and present a united front?	The group acts as individuals with little to no evidence of prior interactions	The group works well together, with evidence that they have worked together before	The group works seamlessly giving equal treatment to all members and displaying respect for each other. It is apparent that the group has prepared for the role together	/5
Total Mark				/40