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How to Make University Graduates More Competitive in Today’s Job Market
American Journal of Economics and Business Management,
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2025): January
Abstract
As the global economy shifts towards innovation-driven growth, the demand for highly skilled university graduates is growing. In Uzbekistan, significant reforms are being undertaken to enhance the higher education system and produce specialists capable of driving economic progress. However, the alignment between the competencies of university graduates and the needs of the labor market remains insufficient, with many graduates struggling to find the job This article explores the concept of university graduates competitiveness, focusing on both hard and soft skills as key determinants of employability. It examines various theoretical approaches to graduate competitiveness, dividing them into four main groups: cognitive, competence-based, market-oriented, and structured approaches. These frameworks emphasize different aspects of graduate capabilities, such as academic knowledge, personal traits, and readiness for professional life. The article argues that soft skills—such as critical thinking, teamwork, and adaptability—are increasingly essential for graduates to thrive in the modern labor market, where technical knowledge alone is no longer enough. In conclusion, the paper proposes a comprehensive definition of graduate competitiveness, suggesting that universities must equip students with the necessary skills to navigate a rapidly changing workforce, ensuring their success in both local and global job markets.
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- President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019). On the concept of developing the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030 [Decree No. UP-5847]. https://lex.uz/docs/4545887
- Adolf, V. A., & Fominykh, A. V. (2017). Competitiveness of the graduate of a modern university.
- Bogdan, N., & Mogilyovkin, E. (n.d.). The career of a young specialist: A university’sperspective. http://www.younglib.novgorod.ru/7blockM51&id=25&arh=0
- Demidov, S. R. (2021). Personnel determine everything...! Contemporary problems of humanities and social sciences, (1).
- Sergeeva, N. I. (2015). Professional-personal self-development as a goal of professional growth of educators. Contemporary Problems of Science and Education, (2-1), 499-499.
- Pereverzev, V. Yu. (2012). Diagnosis of employer requirements for the content of educational programs and technologies. Secondary Vocational Education, (6), 41-43.
- Nazarova, I. V. (2016). Formation of general cultural competencies through the study of professional disciplines. Bulletin of the Voronezh Institute of the FSIN of Russia, (1), 110-112.
- Shirobokov, S. N. (2015). Training competitive and mobile personnel in modern conditions. Pedagogical Education and Science, (1), 121-124.
- Tarakanova, E. V., & Fomin, A. V. (2014). The axiological approach to choosing a profession. Theory and Practice of Social Development, (1), 94-98.
- Averbina, L. V., & Pecherskaya, E. P. (2016). Relevant problems of higher economic education and additional business education. Scientific Review: Humanities Research, (3), 24-28.
- Zhukov, G. N., Dorozhkin, E. M., & Kubrushko, P. F. (2019). Formation of students' readiness for professional-pedagogical activities of vocational training instructors. Theoretical-methodological aspect.
- Butakova, A. V., Smetanova, Yu. V., & Bogomaz, S. A. (2010). Psychological safety as a condition for the development of personal potential. Bulletin of Tomsk State University, (338), 156–159.
- Shilova, M. I., & Belykh, I. L. (2010). Formation of the competitiveness of university graduates. Tomsk State Pedagogical University Bulletin, (4), 39–45 (in Russian).
- Andreev, V. I. (2013). A65 Competitology. A course for creative self-development of competitiveness.
- Oganezov, V. A. (2003). Preparation of competitive specialists in the context of the diversification of higher education / V. A. Oganezov: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. Stavropol, 27 p.
- Khlopova, T. V. Problem of employment and self-assessment of the competitiveness of university graduates. http://nakhodka.wl.dvgu.ru/fomm/section1/1-14.htm.
- Sedova, L. N. (2005). Preparing a competitive personality as the goal of the educational process. In Formation of a creative personality in a developing environment: Enhancing the competitiveness of students in educational institutions: Collection of scientific works edited by I. V. Shtykh (pp. 53). Balashov: Nikolev Publishing.
- Demidov, S. R. (2007). Evaluation of the quality of university graduate training based on the completeness of their employment. Bulletin of Samara State Economic University, (11), 11-12.
- Plaksiy, S. I. (2007). Competitiveness of Russian higher education. In Career Growth: Transnational Dialogues on Personnel Management and Labor Market Development (p. 258). Bremen-Moscow: NIB Publishing.
- Khazova, S. A. Indicators of competitiveness as criteria for professional competence of specialists in physical culture and sports. http://vvww.adygnet.rU/konfer/konflfk2006/soob/3/3Hazova.htm.
- Oganezov, V. A. Preparation of competitive specialists in the context of the diversification of higher education / V.A. Oganezov: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. Stavropol, 2003. 27 p.
- Maximov, G. K. (2008). Acmeological conditions and factors ensuring productive development of specialist competitiveness / G.K. Maximov: abstract of the dissertation ... Candidate of Psychological Sciences, 19.00.13. Moscow, 25 p.
- Pronyushkina, T. G. (2008). Competitiveness as a determinant of professional education for engineers (based on the example of the Vladimir region) / T.G. Pronyushkina: abstract of the dissertation... Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences in specialty 13.00.08. Moscow, p. 34.
- Myasnikova, L. (2006). Postmodernism in economics and higher education. RISK: Resources, Information, Supply, Competition / Federal Company "Roskontrakt". Moscow, 2006. No. 2, p. 27.
- Shutkina, Z. A. (2008). Organizational-pedagogical conditions for the formation of the competitiveness of graduates of non-state higher education institutions / Z.A. Shutkina: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences in specialty 13.00.01. Nizhny Novgorod, pp. 15-16.
- https://finacademy.net/materials/article/soft-skills-dlya-karery-v-finansah
- McKinsey & Company. (2021). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/jobs-lost-jobs-gained-what-the-future-of-work-will-mean-for-jobs-skills-and-wages
- World Health Organization. (1993). Life skills education in schools (Skills for Life 1). World Health Organization. Genève.
- Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1307526
- Ananyeva, T. (2019, February 11). 10 competencies that will be in demand in 2020. HR-Portal. https://hr-portal.ru/article/10-kompetenciy-kotorye-budut-vostrebovany-v-2020-godu
- Muhleisen S., & Oberhuber, N. (2005). Karrierefaktor Soft Skills. Rudolf Haufe Verlag.
- Heckman, J. J., and T. Kautz. 2012. “Hard Evidence on Soft Skills.” Labour Economics 19 (4): 451–464.
- Haselberger, D., P. Oberheumer, E. Perez, M. Cinque, and D. Capasso. 2012. Mediating Soft Skills at Higher Education Institutions, Handbook of ModEs Project, Life Long Learning Programme
- Grugulis, I., and S. Vincent. 2009. “Whose Skill Is It Anyway? ‘Soft Skills and Polarization.” Work, Employment and Society 23 (4): 597–615.
References
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2019). On the concept of developing the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030 [Decree No. UP-5847]. https://lex.uz/docs/4545887
Adolf, V. A., & Fominykh, A. V. (2017). Competitiveness of the graduate of a modern university.
Bogdan, N., & Mogilyovkin, E. (n.d.). The career of a young specialist: A university’sperspective. http://www.younglib.novgorod.ru/7blockM51&id=25&arh=0
Demidov, S. R. (2021). Personnel determine everything...! Contemporary problems of humanities and social sciences, (1).
Sergeeva, N. I. (2015). Professional-personal self-development as a goal of professional growth of educators. Contemporary Problems of Science and Education, (2-1), 499-499.
Pereverzev, V. Yu. (2012). Diagnosis of employer requirements for the content of educational programs and technologies. Secondary Vocational Education, (6), 41-43.
Nazarova, I. V. (2016). Formation of general cultural competencies through the study of professional disciplines. Bulletin of the Voronezh Institute of the FSIN of Russia, (1), 110-112.
Shirobokov, S. N. (2015). Training competitive and mobile personnel in modern conditions. Pedagogical Education and Science, (1), 121-124.
Tarakanova, E. V., & Fomin, A. V. (2014). The axiological approach to choosing a profession. Theory and Practice of Social Development, (1), 94-98.
Averbina, L. V., & Pecherskaya, E. P. (2016). Relevant problems of higher economic education and additional business education. Scientific Review: Humanities Research, (3), 24-28.
Zhukov, G. N., Dorozhkin, E. M., & Kubrushko, P. F. (2019). Formation of students' readiness for professional-pedagogical activities of vocational training instructors. Theoretical-methodological aspect.
Butakova, A. V., Smetanova, Yu. V., & Bogomaz, S. A. (2010). Psychological safety as a condition for the development of personal potential. Bulletin of Tomsk State University, (338), 156–159.
Shilova, M. I., & Belykh, I. L. (2010). Formation of the competitiveness of university graduates. Tomsk State Pedagogical University Bulletin, (4), 39–45 (in Russian).
Andreev, V. I. (2013). A65 Competitology. A course for creative self-development of competitiveness.
Oganezov, V. A. (2003). Preparation of competitive specialists in the context of the diversification of higher education / V. A. Oganezov: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. Stavropol, 27 p.
Khlopova, T. V. Problem of employment and self-assessment of the competitiveness of university graduates. http://nakhodka.wl.dvgu.ru/fomm/section1/1-14.htm.
Sedova, L. N. (2005). Preparing a competitive personality as the goal of the educational process. In Formation of a creative personality in a developing environment: Enhancing the competitiveness of students in educational institutions: Collection of scientific works edited by I. V. Shtykh (pp. 53). Balashov: Nikolev Publishing.
Demidov, S. R. (2007). Evaluation of the quality of university graduate training based on the completeness of their employment. Bulletin of Samara State Economic University, (11), 11-12.
Plaksiy, S. I. (2007). Competitiveness of Russian higher education. In Career Growth: Transnational Dialogues on Personnel Management and Labor Market Development (p. 258). Bremen-Moscow: NIB Publishing.
Khazova, S. A. Indicators of competitiveness as criteria for professional competence of specialists in physical culture and sports. http://vvww.adygnet.rU/konfer/konflfk2006/soob/3/3Hazova.htm.
Oganezov, V. A. Preparation of competitive specialists in the context of the diversification of higher education / V.A. Oganezov: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences. Stavropol, 2003. 27 p.
Maximov, G. K. (2008). Acmeological conditions and factors ensuring productive development of specialist competitiveness / G.K. Maximov: abstract of the dissertation ... Candidate of Psychological Sciences, 19.00.13. Moscow, 25 p.
Pronyushkina, T. G. (2008). Competitiveness as a determinant of professional education for engineers (based on the example of the Vladimir region) / T.G. Pronyushkina: abstract of the dissertation... Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences in specialty 13.00.08. Moscow, p. 34.
Myasnikova, L. (2006). Postmodernism in economics and higher education. RISK: Resources, Information, Supply, Competition / Federal Company "Roskontrakt". Moscow, 2006. No. 2, p. 27.
Shutkina, Z. A. (2008). Organizational-pedagogical conditions for the formation of the competitiveness of graduates of non-state higher education institutions / Z.A. Shutkina: abstract of the dissertation... Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences in specialty 13.00.01. Nizhny Novgorod, pp. 15-16.
https://finacademy.net/materials/article/soft-skills-dlya-karery-v-finansah
McKinsey & Company. (2021). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/jobs-lost-jobs-gained-what-the-future-of-work-will-mean-for-jobs-skills-and-wages
World Health Organization. (1993). Life skills education in schools (Skills for Life 1). World Health Organization. Genève.
Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1307526
Ananyeva, T. (2019, February 11). 10 competencies that will be in demand in 2020. HR-Portal. https://hr-portal.ru/article/10-kompetenciy-kotorye-budut-vostrebovany-v-2020-godu
Muhleisen S., & Oberhuber, N. (2005). Karrierefaktor Soft Skills. Rudolf Haufe Verlag.
Heckman, J. J., and T. Kautz. 2012. “Hard Evidence on Soft Skills.” Labour Economics 19 (4): 451–464.
Haselberger, D., P. Oberheumer, E. Perez, M. Cinque, and D. Capasso. 2012. Mediating Soft Skills at Higher Education Institutions, Handbook of ModEs Project, Life Long Learning Programme
Grugulis, I., and S. Vincent. 2009. “Whose Skill Is It Anyway? ‘Soft Skills and Polarization.” Work, Employment and Society 23 (4): 597–615.