Developing sustainability practitioners through a multi-dimensional approach for work ready graduates

Despite the inclusion of specialised sustainability programmes and incorporation of some sustainability content into the business curricula, education for sustainability for business management students continues to fail to meet needs of graduates in the workplace, creating a sustainability skills gap.
To address this sustainability skills gap, the Sustainability Lead and Business Development Team are working closely together at Worcester Business School to develop a real-world sustainability focus through a multi-dimensional approach to placement opportunities to ensure graduates are work ready. In the current graduate employment market, work ready graduates require the knowledge, skills, and values of sustainability as well as the motivation to make a difference. To develop work ready graduates, we have adopted a multi-dimensional approach as a framework for work readiness: developing sustainability knowledge and skills through learning and teaching, a strategic approach to placements through the Business Development Team and enhanced student engagement with placements. This is based on two key interventions; firstly taking small steps and secondly, the utilisation of existing resources.
Within this workshop we present our interventions adopted within our framework for work-readiness: learning and teaching (such as guest speakers and the use of the university as a live case study), our business strategy including a student-led sustainability consultancy project and placements and internships (long and short term; virtual and in-person). To demonstrate the effectiveness of this multi-dimensional approach, we present our employment focused practices and highlight outcomes through reflections from students, staff members, graduate employers, and guest speakers.