A narrative review of graduate employability models: their paradigms, and relationships to teaching and curricula

Increasingly governments expect universities to improve graduate employment outcomes. Universities respond by implementing employability strategies in, alongside and outside curricula, with debates ongoing about whether is part of the curriculum, why how. The context process commonly framed in neoliberal human capital paradigms. Some academics are resistant their university’s strategy programmes often adopt a ‘bolt on’ approach, which curriculum. At this time, world midst multiple crises, linked sustainability, technology survival societies, redefining affecting life work. With all these tensions mind, should reconsider how they think act respect employability, careers work? What key values paradigms models, do connect curriculum? This paper presents narrative review conceptual models published peer reviewed higher education literature since 2000 each model positioned on continuum based its: (1) paradigm, i.e., underlying beliefs careers, employment; (2) relationship teaching curricula (i.e., intra-, extra- and/or co-). I observe that most focused individuals career, skills, capabilities) economic success markets, knowledge economy, workforce), limited consideration wider contributions local global career development through social, ecological or technological lenses. Models stronger individualistic focus appear be less connected than also others. potential implications observations for learning discussed.