Producing Graduates That Industry Needs: Exploring the Views of Employers, Administrators, Faculty, and Students on Foundational Skills at Community College STEM Programs

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the views of community college employers, faculty, administrators, and students on the importance of foundational skills, including literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs of study. Participants (N = 50) were recruited, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: 1) foundational skills are as important as the course of study; 2) the ability to communicate technical skills is crucial; 3) leadership and supervisory skills are valuable; and 4) employers contribute to the curriculum, producing graduates that industry needs. Our findings provide policy and practice recommendations, including the need to design curricula with strong components of literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, integrating supervisory and leadership skills in classroom exercises, and engagement of employers in curriculum development and instruction. Producing graduates in STEM fields with skills that employers require is important for employee advancement and for future economic growth.