The Role of Mentorship as an Approach for Enhancing Employability Skills for 21st Century in Kenya
Keywords:
Mentorship, employability skills, workplace, human resource
Abstract
This paper investigated the role of mentorship in enhancing employability skills among the college graduates. As a desktop study, it relied on secondary data. After reviewing the relevant literature; the secondary data was thematically analyzed, contextualized and applied the answer to study question “What is the role of mentorship in enhancing employability skills in the 21st century?” There is a genuine concern globally to boost the employability of fresh college graduates to match the employers’ expectations in the job market. To successfully penetrate the crowded job market, the graduates have to prove their competitiveness through possessing the critical employability skills desired in their relevant sector. The paper established the following common skills that were seen as foundational by diverse employers: teamwork, problem solving, work ethic, integrity, positive attitudes and critical thinking, self-drive, emotional intelligence at the workplace, communication, and interpersonal skills. The study concluded that mentoring relationship stands out as one of the most effective developmental platform for developing and nurturing the relevant skills, competencies and character that will enhance graduates’ penetration to the job market; and consequently enhancing their employability skills needed in the 21st Century. Institutions and other relevant stakeholders in the higher education need to partner and support one another in developing pertinent skills, knowledge, and professional competencies that sustainably match the global job market. The university as the prime trainer of our workforce must chart the way forward and effectively work with all other actors in the job-market.Article Views and Downloands Counter
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References
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (2002). Employability skills – an employer perspective. Canberra, Australia.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (2007). Skills for a nation: A blueprint for improving education and training 2007–2017. Canberra, Australia.
Allen Consulting Group. (2006). Assessment and reporting of employability skills in training packages, a report to the department of education, science and training. Melbourne, March.
Bissell, D. M. (2009). Of mentors, mentoring, and extracellular matrix.Hepatology, 50:1330-1338.
Bronte-Tinkew, J., Allan, T., Joyner, K. (2007). How to choose an evaluator. Research to Results Brief. Washington, DC: Child Trends.
Burnham, E. L., Schiro, S., & Fleming, M. (2011). Mentoring K scholars: Strategies to support research mentors. Clinical and Translational Science, 4(3), 199-203.
Carruthers, J. (1993). The principles and practices of mentoring, in Caldwell, B.J. & Carter, E.M.A. (Eds) The return of the mentor: Columbia.
Castell, D. O. (2011). Academic mentoring: A 40-year adventure. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(5), 820-822.
Chong, S. (2009). Mentoring: Are we doing it right? Annals academy of medicine, 38(7), 643.
Clawson, D. (2011). The future of higher education. New York Max Google books. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Coates, W. C. (2012). Being a mentor: What’s in it for me? Academic Emergency Medicine: Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 19(1), 92-97.
Curtin University. (2011). Mentor FAQs. Retrieved from http://mentoring.curtin.edu. au/faqs/
Ende, J. (2010). Feedback in medical education. Journal of American Medical Association, 250, 777-781.
Feldman, M. D., Steinauer, J. E., Khalili, M., Huang, L, Kahn, J. S., Lee, K. A., Creasman, J., & Brown, J. S. (2012). Clinical Translational Science, 5 (4), 362-367.
Flexman, A. M., & Gelb, A. W. (2011). Mentorship in anesthesia. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology, 24(6), 676-681.
Griffin, K. A., & Reddick, R. J. ( 2011). Surveillance and sacrifice: Gender differences in the mentoring patterns of black professors at predominantly white research universities. American Educational Research Journal, 48 (5).
Haggard, D., Dougherty, T., Turban, D., & Wilbanks, J. (2011). Who is a mentor? A review of evolving definitions and implications for research. Journal of Management, 37(1), 280-304. doi: 10.1177/0149206310386227
Hossler, D. (1984). Enrollment management: An integrated approach. New York: College Board Publications.
Karukstis, K. K., Gourley, B. L., Rossi, M. & L. L. Wright. (2010). Mentoring strategies to facilitate the advancement of women faculty. Washington, DC: American Chemical Association.
Lottero-Perdue, P. S., & Fifield, S. (2010). A conceptual framework for higher education faculty mentoring. In Nilson, L. B. (Ed.). To Improve the Academy, 28, 37-62.
Nason, B. V. (2011). Education for all: Access to higher education among the rural poor in Kenya. In Muvumbi (2011) Catholic higher education in Africa for the 21st Century. Nairobi: Catholic University Press.
Nason, B. V. (2013). The building blocks for a stronger African university. In B. I. Masaingila, J. O. & Ayoti, H. proceedings of the 3rd international conference on education, Nairobi Kenya: Kenyatta University & Syracuse University. pp. 600-607. www.http://cuseinkenua.syr.edu/
Nason, B. V. (2016). The abc of mentoring. Kenya: Kijabe Printing Press.
Ragins, B. R., & Kram, K. E. (Eds.). (2007). The handbook of mentoring at work: Theory, research and practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Rychen, D. S., & Salganik, L. H. (2001), Defining and selecting key competencies. Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. (April 2009). Finding a mentor. Advocate: Thriving in Academe, 26(5), 5-8.
Toress, V., & Hernazade, E. (2010). J. College student retention, Vol. 11 (1) 141-160, 2009 – 2010.
Trower, C. A. (2012). Success on the tenure track: five keys to faculty job satisfaction. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Yun, J., & Sorcinelli, M. D. (2011). When mentoring is the medium: Lessons learned from a faculty development initiative. To Improve the Academy, 27, 365-384.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (2007). Skills for a nation: A blueprint for improving education and training 2007–2017. Canberra, Australia.
Allen Consulting Group. (2006). Assessment and reporting of employability skills in training packages, a report to the department of education, science and training. Melbourne, March.
Bissell, D. M. (2009). Of mentors, mentoring, and extracellular matrix.Hepatology, 50:1330-1338.
Bronte-Tinkew, J., Allan, T., Joyner, K. (2007). How to choose an evaluator. Research to Results Brief. Washington, DC: Child Trends.
Burnham, E. L., Schiro, S., & Fleming, M. (2011). Mentoring K scholars: Strategies to support research mentors. Clinical and Translational Science, 4(3), 199-203.
Carruthers, J. (1993). The principles and practices of mentoring, in Caldwell, B.J. & Carter, E.M.A. (Eds) The return of the mentor: Columbia.
Castell, D. O. (2011). Academic mentoring: A 40-year adventure. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106(5), 820-822.
Chong, S. (2009). Mentoring: Are we doing it right? Annals academy of medicine, 38(7), 643.
Clawson, D. (2011). The future of higher education. New York Max Google books. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Coates, W. C. (2012). Being a mentor: What’s in it for me? Academic Emergency Medicine: Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 19(1), 92-97.
Curtin University. (2011). Mentor FAQs. Retrieved from http://mentoring.curtin.edu. au/faqs/
Ende, J. (2010). Feedback in medical education. Journal of American Medical Association, 250, 777-781.
Feldman, M. D., Steinauer, J. E., Khalili, M., Huang, L, Kahn, J. S., Lee, K. A., Creasman, J., & Brown, J. S. (2012). Clinical Translational Science, 5 (4), 362-367.
Flexman, A. M., & Gelb, A. W. (2011). Mentorship in anesthesia. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology, 24(6), 676-681.
Griffin, K. A., & Reddick, R. J. ( 2011). Surveillance and sacrifice: Gender differences in the mentoring patterns of black professors at predominantly white research universities. American Educational Research Journal, 48 (5).
Haggard, D., Dougherty, T., Turban, D., & Wilbanks, J. (2011). Who is a mentor? A review of evolving definitions and implications for research. Journal of Management, 37(1), 280-304. doi: 10.1177/0149206310386227
Hossler, D. (1984). Enrollment management: An integrated approach. New York: College Board Publications.
Karukstis, K. K., Gourley, B. L., Rossi, M. & L. L. Wright. (2010). Mentoring strategies to facilitate the advancement of women faculty. Washington, DC: American Chemical Association.
Lottero-Perdue, P. S., & Fifield, S. (2010). A conceptual framework for higher education faculty mentoring. In Nilson, L. B. (Ed.). To Improve the Academy, 28, 37-62.
Nason, B. V. (2011). Education for all: Access to higher education among the rural poor in Kenya. In Muvumbi (2011) Catholic higher education in Africa for the 21st Century. Nairobi: Catholic University Press.
Nason, B. V. (2013). The building blocks for a stronger African university. In B. I. Masaingila, J. O. & Ayoti, H. proceedings of the 3rd international conference on education, Nairobi Kenya: Kenyatta University & Syracuse University. pp. 600-607. www.http://cuseinkenua.syr.edu/
Nason, B. V. (2016). The abc of mentoring. Kenya: Kijabe Printing Press.
Ragins, B. R., & Kram, K. E. (Eds.). (2007). The handbook of mentoring at work: Theory, research and practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Rychen, D. S., & Salganik, L. H. (2001), Defining and selecting key competencies. Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.
Sorcinelli, M. D., & Yun, J. (April 2009). Finding a mentor. Advocate: Thriving in Academe, 26(5), 5-8.
Toress, V., & Hernazade, E. (2010). J. College student retention, Vol. 11 (1) 141-160, 2009 – 2010.
Trower, C. A. (2012). Success on the tenure track: five keys to faculty job satisfaction. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Yun, J., & Sorcinelli, M. D. (2011). When mentoring is the medium: Lessons learned from a faculty development initiative. To Improve the Academy, 27, 365-384.
Published
2017-10-01
How to Cite
Nason, V. (2017). The Role of Mentorship as an Approach for Enhancing Employability Skills for 21st Century in Kenya. Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2(1), 31-39. https://doi.org/10.69641/afritvet.2017.2133
Section
SUSTAINING TVET IN CHANGING CONTEXTS
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