How the employability narrative strengthens the value proposition of education abroad

This is an update of a piece written in 2016. Having just worked for over a year on a new book chapter on employability – cited in the essay- soon to be released, I had some misgivings about my strongly stated point of view. One of the the chapter co-authors was a Norwegian researcher whose own work, along with other European researchers I did not know, shined a light on more nuanced and tentative research outcomes with regard to the linkage of education abroad to post-graduation employability.

I remain convinced that with a robust pre-departure campus advising practice, coupled with ongoing reflective practice during a students’ time abroad, and a mandatory means of follow-up upon return to campus – that with all of this design built into the abroad program, an international experience has great potential to create enduring benefits for a student well into their early career years after graduation.

Here’s the revised essay:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-employability-strengthens-value-proposition-study-martin-tillman/