The Increasing Integration of the International Market - Essay Example

Discuss the practical steps a may take to help its be as competitive as possible when they enter the labour market. The increasing integration of the international market today brought about by the globalization phenomenon has rendered the labor market extremely competitive. States and economies, for example, are doing everything they can in order to attract foreign capital to invest in their respective countries. Foremost of these initiatives concern the labor sector and are characterized by the upgrading of skills of the domestic labor pool as well as the adjustment of labor cost. Schools are very important in this strategy, it is here wherein students are prepared to face the new environment influenced by globalization and its requirements for new subjects and approaches to learning. (Farazmand and Pinkowski 2007, p. 183) In this regard, this paper will outline important steps that the universities and colleges could undertake in order for its students to be competitive in the labor market. These steps would be cited in the context of two important roles that the school is thought to play. Functionalist/Consensus Approach The university, wrote Achuthan (1993), in its functionalist role, is seen as one of the final steps in the educational system, completing the long preparation of the student for his or her role in society. (Achuthan p. 27) The tertiary educational institution, hence, must ensure that their students have been immersed and ingested the basic stock of knowledge that represents the core values of its culture. Here, it is emphasized that the student is not just educated but that he or she would leave the school armed with specific employment-oriented skills and knowledge. Education institutions can do this by coordinating with the government and the private sector. Such initiative could provide the school with the knowledge and tools in order integrate in its curriculum those skill and knowledge areas that are demanded by industries today. This is demonstrated, for instance, in the way the Singaporean education system works. The fundamental characteristic of the Singaporean system is the involvement of the government in the creation of curricula in the universities. This is shown in the existence of the state agency called Economic Development Board (EDB), which is concerned with the general responsibility of ensuring the inward investment in the country. Part of its mandate is to assure the human resource requirements for new industries to be created by the foreign capital. EDB ensures that education and training system is capable of producing the right type of skills required for the new industries, as part of the greater strategy to lure investors in the country. (International Labour Office 1998, p. 123) While the Singaporean model may very well be different from the American system, universities could still learn from the success of the Singaporean experience. Here, it is not required for a government intervention, instead, coordination and forging relationships with the government and the private sector could yield important knowledge base that are essential in equipping students with skills and values to succeed in the labor market. Achuthan argued that the university is more than a teaching institution and that besides the transmission of knowledge, the university must be a site of scholarly activity and knowledge production. (Achuthan, p. 27) This, however, must be augmented by inculcating values that are related and relevant to the labor market. Conflict Approach In the context of the conflict approach, the university is seen as a structured class-society including all the bureaucratic challenges, problems and social conflicts that it entail. The university is seen as formally and officially advocating one set of important values, while in reality operating as a typical hierarchical bureaucratic organization with touches of elitism. (Altbach and Umakoshi 2004, p. 40) The key challenge for universities is to overcome the limitations of the past and to seek to truly operationalise the unrealized ideals of a Western university, which is the kind that is open, free courageous and open to critical inquiry and instruction. (Achuthan, p. 28) The importance of achieving this ideal university environment is that instructions and knowledge imparted go beyond merely teaching the accumulated knowledge throughout history and from the experience of society. Rather, instruction should be geared towards an environment that facilitates the constant examination and analysis of that knowledge as well as the changes therein. (Morss and Murray 2005, p. 21) What this achieves for students is the kind of flexibility, maturity and widened horizon necessary to navigate the fast-changing and multi-cultural characteristics of the global labor environment. As we are in the midst of globalization, the role of universities must be that of intellectual stewards and proactive institution receptive and responsive to the requirements of the rapidly evolving and broader community. One of the specific, steps that universities could take in this regard is the recruitment not just of the most qualified faculty members but a diverse one as well. (Beverly and Justiz 2001, p. 251) This will foster and encourage a culturally diverse and inclusive community in such a way that students are then equipped to deal with a similar diversity that characterizes the labor market and in the globalised workplace. Furthermore, this conflict approach in interpreting the university’s role in equipping students with skills lead institutions to develop curricula that are able to adjust to the changing demands of the globalizing economy such as the requirement for higher level of competence in technology, among other variables. (Jansen and Christie 1999, p. 82) Universities in Finland are cases in point. The OECD found, in a 2008 survey, that university authorities have started emphasizing on the assessment of qualification specifity in the university onwards to the Masters degree level. Because of this initiative, the academic authorities are able to provide graduates with a wide skill base that makes it possible to transfer between different tasks, to transfer knowledge between jobs, and to continue studying later on. (p. 137) Conclusion There are numerous steps that universities could implement in order to equip their graduating students with the skills and values to be competitive in the labor market. This can be developed out of the successful initiatives and experiences of tertiary academic institutions not just in the United States but in other countries as well. Again, the most important factor to be considered is the globalization of the international market and labor market. This has brought about several changes in the industries and organizations, and, in effect, changing requirements and demands in workers’ skills and knowledge. Specific issues such as technology, changing values and diversity, among other variables must be taken into consideration because they contribute to the dynamism of the labor market. Universities must ensure that they are open, responsive and flexible institutions so that their students are in better positions to succeed. References Achuthan, S 1993, Computer Technology for Higher Education: The Canadian experience. Concept Publishing Company. Altbach, P and Umakoshi, T 2004, Asian universities: historical perspectives and contemporary challenges. JHU Press. Farazmand, A and Pinkowski, j 2007, Handbook of globalization, governance, and public administration. CRC Press. International Labour Office 1998, World employment report, 1998-99: employability in the global economy : how training matters. International Labour Organization. Jansen, J and Christie, P 1999, Changing curriculum: studies on outcomes-based education in South Africa. Juta and Company, Ltd. Lindsay, B and Justiz, M 2001, The quest for equity in higher education: toward new paradigms in an evolving affirmative action era. SUNY Press. Morss, K and Murray, R 2005, Teaching at university: a guide for postgraduates and researchers. SAGE OECD 2008, OECD Economic Surveys: Finland 2008. OECD Publishing. Read More