IDENTIFYING THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS NEEDED IN THE WORKPLACE ACCORDING TO SUPERVISORS OF COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES GRADUATES

Graduates are entering the workforce without the necessary skills demanded in industry (Atkins, 1999; Peddle, 2000). Because of this, supervisors of College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources graduates at the University of Missouri were surveyed to determine the employability skills most important to their careers and the perception with which they were able to perform those skills. Supervisors perceived the three most important employability skills for graduates to possess were: “working well with others, ” “functioning well in stressful situations” and their “ability to work independently. ” Supervisors perceived graduates to be most competent at: “maintaining a positive attitude, ” “relating well with supervisors ” and their “ability to work independently. ” The Borich (1980) needs assessment model revealed that 23 items could be employed to modify and enhance the existing college curriculum. The employability skills most in need of curriculum enhancement included problem solving, while the employability skills least in need of curriculum enhancement included written communications