Benefits of collaborative groupwork assessments to improve student employability skills—A second- and third-year undergraduate comparison

Educators at Swansea University aimed to address a mismatch of graduate skills gained at Universityand those required by employers through the provision of experiential learning that aimed to produceconfident, articulate, technically prepared students ready for the workplace. Students were able toapply theory to practice whilst gaining an insight into the real world of accounting. Using authenticlearning activities where the assessments were designed in collaboration with industry partners,students presented their findings and client advice via online live or pre-recorded group videos.Platforms such as Zoom were used as an online learning space to ensure students were provided withan opportunity to work with others, a vital part of the learning process as it not only replicated a remotestyle office setting but also a team-based classroom environment allowing students to interact, share,and develop ideas which fuelled collaboration on a global scale. The aim of this comparative studyis to explore the benefits and drawbacks of groupwork assessment and consider any cumulativeeffects from year 2 to year 3 to further enhance the student learning experience. Findings fromstudent responses indicated that the groupwork assessment improved their soft skills to supporttheir transition into the workplace and through the co-creation with industry partners, their learningoutcomes can be evidenced and showcased to future employers