Browsing by Subject "Geneeriset taidot"

In this Master’s Thesis the perceptions of master’s degree graduates on the development of generic skills during university level education was studied. Generic skills, also known as key skills or core skills are such competences that are indispensably needed in working life. Such generic skills include, for example, critical thinking, communication skills, problem solving skills and project working skills. These skills are independent of profession or field of education but should also be provided by higher education. The notion of generic skills lacks an all-encompassing definition, which makes studies addressing these skills challenging. This Master’s Thesis answers to the need to study what particular skills university level education students think they gain during their studies, and what other skills they wish they had learned better. This study also focuses on the challenges that graduates have faced while in working life. The topic was chosen keeping in mind the timely nature of the subject and the global discussion around it. A worry caused by the insufficient interaction between education and working life, as well as the need to secure knowledgeable workforce for the requirements of the ever-changing society, is prominent in the education policies of several states. The development of generic skills during university level education was studied from the viewpoint of generalist field students with qualitative content analysis. The study sample comprised of interviews conducted in 2013 by The Centre for University Teaching and Learning (HYPE) as well as answers given to open questionnaires in 2016. The same study sample of nineteen interviewees was used at the time of graduation and when entered the working life three years later. The results of this study show that master’s degree graduates feel that they learn academic generic skills during university level education. In addition to communication skills, the master’s degree graduates desired more co-operation with corporate world, interaction with the working life, careers counseling, mentoring, and more interaction with the academic community as a part of their studies. The challenges encountered by master’s degree graduates in working life were, for the most part, connected with interaction and communication: leadership and networking skills, performance skills and workplace communication skills. In addition, some pressure was also felt due to the uncertainty of work and level of employability.