NEWS DIGEST
company is more likely to hire recent graduates with an undergraduate business degree as they are “more skilled”; meanwhile, 91 per cent say it takes less time to onboard and train business graduates compared to those with degrees in other fields. Additionally, almost all HR professionals (97 per cent) say it’s important that new hires have a strong foundational understanding of business and technology topics such as AI, data analytics and IT. “The traditional undergraduate curriculum has not kept pace with an evolving global workplace and the chasm between what’s being taught and what employers need has become more apparent,” commented Martin Boehm, Hult’s executive vice-president & global dean of undergraduate programmes. “Schools need to prepare students in new ways, with a focus on building both the skills and mindsets needed for continuous learning in a rapidly changing world.” CD “The traditional undergraduate curriculum has not kept pace with an evolving global workplace… schools need to prepare students in new ways”
NEW REPORT REVEALS RECENT GRADUATES ARE UNPREPARED FOR THE WORKFORCE
traditional degree programmes. The survey also found that 77 per cent of recent graduates say they learned more in six months on the job than during their entire undergraduate experience. HR professionals estimate that they save more than $4,500 (€4,125) in training costs when an employee can “hit the ground running”. Despite widespread talent shortages, most companies are avoiding hiring recent graduates. The top reasons given are because they don’t have real-world experience (60 per cent), lack a global mindset (57 per cent) and don’t know how to work well in a team (55 per cent). However, an overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of HR directors say their
SCHOOL Hult International Business School COUNTRY US
raditional undergraduate education programmes are not adequately preparing
T
students for the workplace, according to a new survey from Hult International Business School. Respondents’ feedback indicates detrimental implications for both employees and companies, highlighting the need for a new strategy from
7
Business Impact • ISSUE 2 • 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online