Gender and management implications from clearer signposting of employability attributes developed across graduate disciplines

Following identifications of gendered inconsistencies in higher education delivery [Ain, C., F. Sabir, and J. Willison. 2018. “Research Skills That men and Women Developed at University and Then Used in Workplaces.” Studies in Higher Education, Published online. doi:10.1080/03075079.2018.1496412], this work exposes unseen gender-related issues in the graduate population. With graduates prevalent as managers, developing management attributes and employability is emphasised across higher education. Meanwhile, notable disciplinary gender imbalances exist across education and this research explores employability in this context by triangulating Higher Education Statistics Agency and Higher Education Academy data with graduates’ degree experiences. Findings reveal notable levels of employability-related support existing, with significant disciplinary variations in its visibility. Some remains unseen, especially in female-orientated disciplines, creating a gap populated by almost 50% more females than males. Consequently, fewer female graduates may recognise certain capabilities as being management-related, potentially resulting in slower career progression compared to male peers, as observed by the Office for National Statistics [ONS. 2019.Overeducation and Hourly Wages in the UK Labour Market; 2006 to 2017. London: Office for National Statistics. Accessed May 2, 2019. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/uksectoraccounts/compendium/economicreview/april2019/overeducationandhourlywagesintheuklabourmarket2006to2017]. Opportunities exist across disciplines, especially the arts, humanities and social sciences, to enhance visibilities of employability-related support.