The implications of the rapid political, social, economic and technological changes at present occurring in South Africa and internationally, demand a review of the traditional approach to university training with regard to its relevance in terms of preparing students for life and for the successful practising of a future career.
The Information Age requires that a shift take place from the traditional teaching of mastery skills of previous eras to the encompassing of life or core skills that can be adapted to changing circumstances.
It cannot be assumed that students will acquire these skills incidentally or vicariously; they need to be consciously and deliberately taught in order to provide graduates with the ability to adjust to and cope with the uncertainties of the future. Universities as a whole need to become involved in an alternative approach to higher education.
The aims of this study are: (1) To employ a Life-skills Questionnaire as a diagnostic medium designed to ascertain if and where problem areas lie with regard to university entrants so as to facilitate addressing of said problem areas. (2) To ascertain the needs and expectations of both employers and private practitioners in order to identify where the training of graduates falls short of the above with respect to life skills, and to establish what steps both employers and the self-employed are having to take to remedy the situation. (3) To suggest the concept of relevant Guidance Support as a means to both address and redress problems surrounding issues of insufficient training of graduates with respect to life or core skills.
Perspective is gained on the level of life skills present in university entrants via the presentation of an appropriate Life-skills Questionnaire, and its possible uses are discussed.
A survey of the needs of employers and the self-employed, comprising a literature review, another Life Skills Questionnaire aimed at Deans of Faculties and Professional Boards and personal or telephonic interviews, revealed that graduates are insufficiently prepared in terms of life skills.
The concept of Guidance Support, concomitant with the notion of establishing a guidance support department is explored. The value of such a concept is covered followed by a discussion of the functions and the advantages to a university of a guidance support department.
