View in EDS

Employability Programmes in Higher Education: Supporting Students through Tangible, Transitional and Transformational Approaches

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Employability Programmes in Higher Education: Supporting Students through Tangible, Transitional and Transformational Approaches
Language: English
Authors: Michael Maher (ORCID 0000-0002-5461-1822), Ecem Karlidag-Dennis (ORCID 0000-0002-1147-4055), Richard Hazenberg (ORCID 0000-0002-2178-9157), David Conway (ORCID 0000-0002-6668-4906)
Source: British Educational Research Journal. 2026 52(2):1057-1075.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Higher Education, College Students, Employment Potential, Labor Market, Education Work Relationship, Educational Attainment, Career Planning, Career Development, Job Training, Employment Qualifications, Cultural Capital, Social Capital, Job Skills, Career Choice
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
DOI: 10.1002/berj.70051
ISSN: 0141-1926
1469-3518
Abstract: As the UK higher education sector becomes increasingly market-driven and focused on preparing students for the graduate labour market, universities must define and contextualise employability and their role in supporting students beyond academia. Social Cognitive Theory highlights the critical importance of self-efficacy in enhancing employability and educational attainment, and links it to graduate success. This research introduces a new employability typology, grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, structured around three key areas: 'Tangible, Transitional, and Transformational'. This typology was developed from discussions with students, staff and employers at an English university. The 'Tangible' aspect focuses on student and institutional exchange to support labour market integration, delivered through courses, qualifications and other resources. The 'Transitional' element addresses the support students need as they move into post-graduate life and can be upwardly mobile in an organisation. Finally, the 'Transformational' aspect encourages institutions to view employability beyond a transactional lens, considering the students' personal growth, ability to make meaningful choices and other intangible benefits, reflecting universities' growing role as civil actors. In addition to Social Cognitive Theory, this research uses Bourdieu's concept of cultural and social capital to reflect on students' employability and transition into the labour market. This framework provides a deeper exploration of the hidden barriers impacting student success, allowing stakeholders to design effective employability interventions that strengthen students' paths to becoming successful graduates. The research highlights key employability characteristics, stakeholder perspectives and hidden barriers, contributing to the employability paradigm.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502614
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1502614
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Employability Programmes in Higher Education: Supporting Students through Tangible, Transitional and Transformational Approaches
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+Maher%22">Michael Maher</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5461-1822">0000-0002-5461-1822</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ecem+Karlidag-Dennis%22">Ecem Karlidag-Dennis</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1147-4055">0000-0002-1147-4055</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Richard+Hazenberg%22">Richard Hazenberg</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2178-9157">0000-0002-2178-9157</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David+Conway%22">David Conway</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6668-4906">0000-0002-6668-4906</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Educational+Research+Journal%22"><i>British Educational Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2026 52(2):1057-1075.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 19
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Potential%22">Employment Potential</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Market%22">Labor Market</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Planning%22">Career Planning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Development%22">Career Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Training%22">Job Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Qualifications%22">Employment Qualifications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Capital%22">Cultural Capital</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Capital%22">Social Capital</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Skills%22">Job Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Choice%22">Career Choice</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/berj.70051
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-1926<br />1469-3518
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: As the UK higher education sector becomes increasingly market-driven and focused on preparing students for the graduate labour market, universities must define and contextualise employability and their role in supporting students beyond academia. Social Cognitive Theory highlights the critical importance of self-efficacy in enhancing employability and educational attainment, and links it to graduate success. This research introduces a new employability typology, grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, structured around three key areas: 'Tangible, Transitional, and Transformational'. This typology was developed from discussions with students, staff and employers at an English university. The 'Tangible' aspect focuses on student and institutional exchange to support labour market integration, delivered through courses, qualifications and other resources. The 'Transitional' element addresses the support students need as they move into post-graduate life and can be upwardly mobile in an organisation. Finally, the 'Transformational' aspect encourages institutions to view employability beyond a transactional lens, considering the students' personal growth, ability to make meaningful choices and other intangible benefits, reflecting universities' growing role as civil actors. In addition to Social Cognitive Theory, this research uses Bourdieu's concept of cultural and social capital to reflect on students' employability and transition into the labour market. This framework provides a deeper exploration of the hidden barriers impacting student success, allowing stakeholders to design effective employability interventions that strengthen students' paths to becoming successful graduates. The research highlights key employability characteristics, stakeholder perspectives and hidden barriers, contributing to the employability paradigm.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1502614
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502614
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/berj.70051
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1057
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Potential
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Market
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Planning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Training
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Qualifications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural Capital
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Capital
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Choice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Employability Programmes in Higher Education: Supporting Students through Tangible, Transitional and Transformational Approaches
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Michael Maher
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ecem Karlidag-Dennis
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Richard Hazenberg
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: David Conway
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0141-1926
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1469-3518
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 52
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: British Educational Research Journal
              Type: main
ResultId 1