Sports graduate capabilities and competencies: a comparison of graduate and employer perceptions in six EU countries

Abstract

The graduate employment market faces ever-increasing socio-economic and political pressures. Higher Education Institutions and the sport sector in the EU have an important role in contributing to graduate employment. The aims of the study were: (1) to assess general perceptions of employability, and (2) to assess sports graduates’ and employers’ perceptions of specific capabilities and competencies in order to identify possible improvements for sports graduate employability programmes. A cross-sectional survey of sports graduates and employers was administered in six EU countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Greece and the Czech Republic to assess graduate and employer perceptions. A graduate capabilities and competencies framework was devised to assess personal, interpersonal, cognitive, role-specific and generic skills. Responses were elicited from 1132 sports graduates and 327 employers. There was generally a wide difference of opinion between employers and sports graduates in terms of the importance and possession of a number of capabilities and competencies. There is a need for the Higher Education sector and employers to take responsibility in ensuring that work experience, work placement and volunteering opportunities are embedded in curricula and to ensure the fitness of purpose of what and how graduate capabilities and competencies are assessed.

Keywords:

• Employability
• sports graduates
• skills
• work placements
• work experience

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Colin Baker, PhD, is a Research Fellow in the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Gloucestershire. His current research interests include innovation within health promotion, new forms of commissioning and evaluation in health, and factors determining partnership success in sport and physical activity.

Elizabeth A. Loughren, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, UK, [email protected].

Tabitha Dickson, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, UK, [email protected].

Marios Goudas, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece, [email protected].

Diane Crone, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, UK, [email protected].

Michal Kudlacek, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, [email protected].

Michal Petr, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, [email protected].

Lucie Petrova, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, [email protected].

Lilian Pichot, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, [email protected].

Jean Claude Frery, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, [email protected].

Anne Benoit, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, [email protected].

Sandrine Knobé, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, [email protected].

Jürgen Schröder, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany, [email protected].

Alfonso Valero Valenzuela, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain, [email protected].

Ernesto De la Cruz Sánchez, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain, [email protected].

Miguel López-Bachero, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain, [email protected].

Diego Villarejo, Elpozo Murcia Futbol Sala, Murcia, Spain, [email protected].

Fran Serrejón, Elpozo Murcia Futbol Sala, Murcia, Spain, fran.serrejó[email protected].

Craig Mortiboys, Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham, UK, [email protected].

Tom Sparks, Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham, U K, [email protected].

Rowena Tassell, Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham, UK, [email protected].