Large organisations are outsourcing. This means that they are employing outsiders to do specialist roles. While this is reducing opportunities for employment in these organisations, it is also increasing opportunities for self-employment as work is contracted out. There has been a marked growth in the number of small and medium sized businesses. As small and medium sized businesses become the major employers of graduates it is important to appreciate that there is less opportunity for employees to develop work ready skills within the businesses.
Employers expect applicants to have basic core skills, such as computer skills, from the outset.
There has been a loss of traditional career pathways. In the past it was possible for employees to work their way up from the factory floor to management. It is now more likely that career pathways will involve several changes of jobs, and as a result, skills will be needed to adapt to these changes. The implications of the vast changes in the labour market are that a growing number of university graduates will be self employed or employed by small or medium size organisations. Graduates will need to be flexible and adaptable in order to cope with the several job changes they will face throughout their life.