A reflection on the opportunities and challenges associated with teaching the sociology of employability.

Abstract

This discussion piece addresses the opportunities and challenges that producing and delivering an employability-related course poses, when that course is taught on a programme situated within a critical discipline (sociology). It addresses the conflict between neoliberal discourses on employability and critical responses to this within sociological approaches to the issue. It does this by using a Bourdieusian (1979; 1986; 1990) framework. I conclude the paper by reflecting upon how these two, seemingly intractable, positions can both be drawn upon by students and the institution.

Focusing in on employability: using content analysis to explore the employability discourse in UK and USA universities

“…The Haldene principle of government not exerting undue influence over HEIs has given way to what some describe as the neoliberal ideology of those in government (Shore & Wright 2000;Boden & Epstein 2006). The situation began changing with the advent of the Thatcher government and the introduction of tighter regulations and controls (Morris 2015). Central government has played a significant role in developing a tighter and a new and different managerialist relationship between themselves, higher education and industry in so far as the employability agenda is concerned.…”

“…Recent higher education commissions have focused on the collaboration between business and higher education (BIS 2012) and enterprise education (BIS 2013). The fear among higher education practitioners is that self-governance in UK HEIs no longer exists and that Government directs policy and practice (Morris 2015). There is some truth to this argument as more recent government recommendations have supported the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) which is aimed at improving the quality of teaching by aligning good quality with an increase in the tuition fees HEIs can charge.…”