Educational Processes – Research of the Needs and Experiences of Graduates Employers

Abstract

Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to present the results of own research that demonstrates a part of the dissertation research project “Process management in higher education” (realized in the years 2010–2013). Presented 4th research phase is focused on a group of educational process external customers – employers of fresh graduates. This phase is called The research of the needs and experiences and summarizes suggestions for higher education optimization. Methodology/methods: The Research methodology is built on principles of Business Process Management. The prime data are collected by questionnaire survey – the basic set of the 4th research phase contains 847 respondents. Scientific aim: The scientific inference of presented research is a conversion of process management methodology into domestic university environment. Research identifies key external customers of educational processes and operates with their needs and expectations. Customers are segmented into five basic groups and each group is targeted to prior-year research. Each research phase is conditioned by cooperating partners, especially secondary schools, high schools, colleges, employers of graduates, etc. Findings: The phases carried out in the years 2010–2012 were focused on direct participants in educational processes, ie candidates for higher education, college students and fresh graduates. The result of these phases shows that candidates often have no clear idea of what specific study outcomes they will obtain. During the bachelor or masters course are students usually not able to perspective the study process as a complex and most often are focused only on the performance of particular tasks without direct relation to the needs of potential future employers. Fresh working graduates gain the first reflection of their studies and 40% of them stated that they studied a field in which they can not find relevant job. Therefore the todays 4th phase identifies the needs of domestic employers and formulates their recommendation. Conclusions: Domestic employers prefer to work with graduates, especially for their adaptability to the conditions of the corporate culture. The labor market do not discriminate any graduates of the monitored schools, entrepreneurs often selects a graduate due to his personal knowledge and skills (with an important role of foreign language and soft skills).