Evaluating the Relevance of the Chemistry Curriculum to the

Sep 5, 2017 - Job portals/Web sites have been reviewed, and National University of Singapore (NUS) chemistry educators have been interviewed to unders...
16 downloads 11 Views 918KB Size
Download PDF
Article pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc

Evaluating the Relevance of the Chemistry Curriculum to the Workplace: Keeping Tertiary Education Relevant Nur Yaisyah Bte Md Yasin and Ong Yueying* Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543, Singapore S Supporting Information *

ABSTRACT: There are various programs and initiatives in universities that aim to maximize students’ potential in their academic journey, personal life, and future career. Research opportunities, internships, overseas exchange programs, and other initiatives aim to equip students with the hard and soft skills needed by employers. Although these efforts are substantial, they must be evaluated and assessed to meet the increasing demands and challenges in the current job market. This is also to ensure that further improvements can be made to allow a smoother transition of the graduates from tertiary education institutes to the workplace. Job portals/Web sites have been reviewed, and National University of Singapore (NUS) chemistry educators have been interviewed to understand the learning and teaching environment as well as the requirements of employers. Surveys of NUS chemistry undergraduates and employers were also conducted. The relevance of the chemistry curriculum to the workplace is examined with the aim of keeping tertiary education in perspective. KEYWORDS: First-Year Undergraduate/General, Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary, Curriculum, Student/Career Counseling

E

bridge the gaps between tertiary education institutes and the workplace. Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Chemistry Program is a relevant program where standards and good practices address the needs of employers and students.8 The program aims to impart knowledge and life skills to students so that they are not only knowledgeable in their fields but also flexible and resourceful in learning new trades and adapting to a variety of jobs in today’s knowledge-based economy. The Chemistry Department offers practical modules that focus on cultivating essential laboratory, data processing, and report writing skills by conducting experiments and validating theoretical content from physical, analytical, inorganic, and organic chemistry. Laboratory skills are important for students who wish to pursue research programs. In addition, the Faculty of Science and Chemistry Department also enroll students in internship programs, which expose the students to the working environment and provide them with interpersonal skills and practical on-the-job training. Besides this, there is a Center for FutureReady Graduates (CFG), which aims to provide an avenue for personal and career development. CFG has developed a course called the Roots and Wings Program9 for all students in their first or second year of study. CFG also organizes career and professional workshops to provide the students with a competitive edge in the job market. The details of some of the programs in the university are provided in the Supporting Information, but the list is by no means exhaustive. An evaluation of the current chemistry curriculum, programs, and initiatives to keep education in perspective is presented in this article.

ducators have always played an active role in students’ learning and career pursuits. Skolnik1 emphasized that faculty members must participate in the academic process to increase the growth potential of an undergraduate’s career. It is important to evaluate whether the contents taught by educators are meeting employer demands,2 and an educator has a responsibility for molding the students.3 Fair et al.4 have conducted a survey to compare the current chemical techniques and instrumentation used in industries and the content taught in tertiary institutions, thus providing a guideline as to what should be included or excluded from the curriculum. Kondo et al.5 have also done an employer survey to evaluate the skills gap that exists for students majoring in chemistry. A seminar-style course has been introduced to host outside speakers and allow students to network with other professionals from industry.6 Hence, with increasing demands and challenges in today’s job market, the current efforts should also be evaluated and assessed further so that more improvements can be made to ensure a smoother transition of the graduates from the educational institutes to the workplace. In Singapore, the 2016 graduate employment survey showed that 89.7% of the graduates were able to find employment six months after graduation, although external developments of the economy may have caused a dip in the percentage of students securing permanent full-time positions.7 In fact, the percentage of students securing permanent full-time positions decreased from 2015 to 2016, and this trend may continue because the global economy is experiencing slow growth. In contrast, the proportion of degree holders is increasing rapidly. Even though the unemployment rate in Singapore remains relatively low today, the employment rate is unknown for future generations. A growing number of graduates may result in unemployment because of the mismatch between the skills demanded by employers and graduates with the required skills. Hence, this research work aims to find areas of improvement constantly to © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.

Received: May 2, 2017 Revised: August 1, 2017

A

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

Table 1. Categorization of Educators’ Responses During the Interview and Students’ Responses During the Survey Item a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y

■

Educators’ Response

Description

“(a basic science degree suf f iciently equips them with) a certain set of life skills to perceive a problem Educators’ views on employability of chemistry graduates and solve it.” “Some employers don’t necessarily want the direct chemical knowledge, they like the training that chemists have because chemists do some theory and some hands on...” “...a high percentage of our students are highly employable. It’s because of the transferable skills.” “maths provides the unifying foundation, a lot of what we do in chemistry involves maths, such as Educators’ views on compulsory nonchemistry-related statistics or the interpretation of data.” modules, namely, MA1421/MA1102R and LSM1401 or equivalent “...we should have a balance between scientif ic principles and what is out there.” “...is very up-to-date. I show YouTube videos to them. I find out what are the latest advances, I make the students read websites for up-to-date news and post it on forums and we also get people f rom the industry to come and give talks.” “Better interpersonal relationship with colleagues and also relevant skills for the workplace.” Students’ view on other non-chemistry-related modules, such as such as business, arts and social sciences, engineering and computing modules “By equipping myself with more skills, I would be able to handle situations better and apply my knowledge f rom these modules whenever needed.” “Computing modules will help me to have a competitive edge.” “Computing/Programming modules may help me in doing research.” “Computing is the next big thing of the f uture” “(computing and engineering modules are not) overwhelmingly important that everyone needs to do Educators’ view on other nonchemistry-related modules, it.” such as such as business, arts and social sciences, engineering and computing modules “Students should take a business module. I believe that even if you don’t work in a business, you should understand how money is f lowing in a company.” “We (educators) cannot always incorporate too much communication skills when we have to deliver the content.” “(internships) give the students a sense of responsibility and lifelong learning skills” Educators’ views on internships “You do that one thing only, which is pretty narrow. It is only one aspect and chemists don’t just do that one thing.” “(Instead of implementing compulsory internships), a better thing to make compulsory is going overseas for a semester” “I think we should absolutely be collaborating and talking to industries and f inding out what their Educators’ view on how to bridge the gap between tertiary needs are.” education institutes and workplace. “I absolutely think collaborations are a good idea. Industries get more of what they want. Our graduates get more of what they want.” “One possibility is to survey as many employers as one can... ask them what they’d like to see in our Undergraduateswhat skills they appreciate and what skills are missing which they’d expect” “...a more generic exposure of students to industrially relevant topics... to link what you are learning in the classroom to some industrial applications”. “(Even though universities can be open to ideas and changes), some companies might not be because their intentions are dif ferent” “(focusing on the needs of chemical industries alone could have) negative repercussions because what happens if the chemical industry decides that they want to pull out of Singapore?” “(universities can) engage people f rom the industry to constantly review and propose things that should be taught.” “...have a module in Year 3 where we present all the industries, talk to industries and do some activities, even small activities.”

Surveys of Employers

METHODOLOGY

Seven Human Resource (HR) representatives were also surveyed, and the questionnaire can be found in the Supporting Information. The representatives were asked about the desired skills and attributes sought by their respective companies when hiring fresh graduates. They were also asked about the skills and attributes that are considered to be lacking in fresh graduates. The surveys were conducted during Science Industry Day 2017, with the HR representatives being presented with surveys via online survey software. The surveyed companies were chosen on the basis of purposive sampling, with all companies intending to hire fresh chemistry graduates.

The surveys and interviews were conducted between January and April 2017 (IRB no. B-16-251E). The study was voluntary and anonymous, and no remuneration was offered to the participants. Surveys of NUS Chemistry Undergraduates

The survey contained 11 questions consisting of Likert scale, multiple choice, ranking, and open-ended questions. The questionnaire can be found in the Supporting Information. Physical copies of the surveys were administered during laboratory sessions or lectures. Some of the Year 4 students were contacted via e-mail, and the survey was administered using survey software. There were 72 Year 1 students, 65 Year 2 students, 75 Year 3 students, and 60 Year 4 students who responded to the survey.

Chi-Square (χ2) Test

Some of the answers from the Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4 students were compared during analysis of the questionnaire responses. The χ2 test evaluates whether the observed distribution of answers varies significantly from the expected B

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

distribution.10 The use of this test was considered appropriate as the data were collected in frequencies and at nominal level.11 In the χ2 test, the null hypothesis states that the observed frequencies are equal to the expected frequencies, and there is no relationship between the undergraduate levels and their answers to the questionnaire. The Pearson χ2 value is calculated using the following formula: χ2 =

∑

(observed − expected)2 expected

The observed value represents the survey data (Table S2), while the expected value is calculated on the basis of the marginal totals (Table S3). The value of χ2 from Table S4 along with the number of degrees of freedom allows the p value to be determined for a 95% confidence interval. Interviews with Educators

Six educators were interviewed. Interviews were conducted in the respective interviewees’ offices in the NUS Science Faculty and lasted an average of 30 min. According to Marton,12 phenomenography is a research method adapted to mapping the qualitatively different ways in which people experience, conceptualize, perceive, and understand the world around them. Hence, phenomenography was used to describe the interviewees’ opinions. The interviews were conducted between the researcher and the participants and provided an interpretation of personal experiences and opinions. The interviews were audio recorded, and a verbatim transcription of each interview was carried out. The educators’ answers were categorized into different themes following careful analysis and interpretation. Selected extracts from these interviews are reported in Table 1. Jobs Advertisements on Online Job Portals

Using Headrick’s method13 of conducting employer surveys, advertised job requirements were obtained from job portals and company Web sites.14 The information was collected from October 2016 to March 2017. A total of 62 chemistry-related jobs requiring a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry were considered.

■

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Future Career Choices of NUS Chemistry Undergraduates

As part of the survey, the undergraduates were questioned regarding their intention to work in a chemistry-related field upon graduation. Of the 272 students surveyed, 71% indicated that they would like to work in fields such as analytical chemistry, teaching, and environmental chemistry (see Figure 1a,b); 21% indicated that they have no intention of working in a chemistry-related field, with a preference to work in other areas, such as military, business, or management (see Figure 1c), and the remaining 8% were undecided about their future career choices. In 2014, 32% of graduates entered the education sector, 10% entered the research and development sector, and 4% entered the chemical manufacturing industry. As for non-chemistryrelated fields, 12% of graduates entered the public administration and defense sectors, with another 4% entering the retail and wholesale trade sectors. Even though chemistry undergraduates are equipped with chemistry skills and knowledge, a basic science degree sufficiently equips them with life skills and problem-solving skills, as commented by an educator (see Table 1, item a). Some educators think that the

Figure 1. (a) Percentage of students with intention to work in a chemistry-related field. (b) List of chemistry-related fields that the students wish to work in. (c) List of non-chemistry-related fields that the students wish to work in. (N = 272).

employers do not necessarily need direct chemical knowledge from the graduates, but the employers like the training that chemists have. The students are highly employable because of the transferable skills in a chemical education (Table 1, items b and c). Although the chemistry curriculum is designed to impart fundamental knowledge and practical skills applicable to the chemistry industries, it also provides opportunities for the students to polish other skills that are applicable to their future career choices. A Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry essentially opens the door to an extensive array of careers. C

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

Figure 2. (a) Applicability and usefulness of compulsory nonchemistry modules (MA1421/MA1102R and LSM1401) as perceived by the students (N = 270). (b) Percentage of students interested in studying nonchemistry modules which are perceived to prepare them better for the workplace (N = 272).

Applicability of Compulsory Nonchemistry Modules

the students think that these modules are beneficial because the modules can polish their interpersonal skills as well as equip them with more skills and knowledge needed for the workplace (see Table 1, items g and h). There are 38% and 12% of the students who are interested in studying computing/programming and engineering modules, respectively. The undergraduates think that computing or programming provides a competitive edge and helps them in their research. They also think that computing will be in greater demand in the near future. Although these modules may be useful in providing a holistic education to students, the educators think that these modules need not be made compulsory (Table 1, items i−l). Similarly, some educators feel that business and communication modules are important. These modules allow the students to understand how money flows in a business and help in improving students’ interpersonal skills and verbal and written communication. Some of these attributes can also be acquired from chemistry modules via group work or presentations. However, educators think that it is easier to equip the students with soft skills at the university level rather than incorporate soft skills in chemistry modules within the department. In general, chemistry educators place more emphasis on equipping the students with chemistry knowledge and skills rather than equipping them with soft skills (Table 1, items m and n).

During the first year of studies, the students are required to take chemistry modules related to organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. Besides this, the students are required to take two other compulsory nonchemistry modules from the Mathematics and Biological Science Departments. The Supporting Information provides a brief outline of the chemistry curriculum. The objective of mathematics and biological science modules is to equip students with a strong scientific foundation. As mentioned by a chemistry educator, mathematics is very useful, and many of the chemistry concepts require mathematics (see Table 1, item d). In the survey, the students were asked whether these two compulsory nonchemistry modules are applicable or useful for their future career choice. A majority of the Year 1 students think that these nonchemistry compulsory modules are applicable to their future career choice (Figure 2a). The percentage of students who think that these nonchemistry modules are applicable for their future career choices decreases from Year 1 to Year 4. In fact, the χ2 test concludes that there is a relationship between the year of their studies and their views about whether these nonchemistry compulsory modules are applicable for their future career choices (see Tables S2−S4 in Supporting Information). Even though quite a number of students think that these nonchemistry modules are applicable for their future career choices, some aspects of these subjects can be integrated into existing chemistry modules instead, as mentioned by a chemistry educator. In addition, educators advocate for more connections between theory and practice. Bretz15 suggests that working with real-world problems can stimulate students’ curiosity and critical thinking. Educators think that it is important to teach scientific concepts and relate them to reallife applications. By connecting what they have learned to the real world, the students will be more prepared to face actual problems in the workplace upon graduation (see Table 1, items e and f). Besides the compulsory nonchemistry modules, the undergraduates were also questioned about their interest in taking up other modules, such as business, arts and social sciences, and engineering and computing modules. There were 46% and 41% of the students who indicated their interest in studying business and communication modules, respectively (Figure 2b). Some of

Skills and Attributes Acquired by Undergraduates and Perceived to be Important by Employers and Undergraduates

Table 2 shows the important skills and attributes needed to secure a job, as perceived by employers and undergraduates. It also includes the skills and attributes acquired by the students during their studies (refer to question 7 on page 8 in the Supporting Information). Students think that work experience is the most important job requirement, followed by communication skills, practical skills, team-working skills, and theoretical knowledge. (These skills and attributes are arranged in order of decreasing rank.) The top five skills and attributes selected by the students are exactly the same as the top five skills and attributes selected by the employers. This indicates that the undergraduates are aware of the expectations of employers, although the order of the ranking differs. D

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

work independently. However, employers would like their employees to have good communication skills, work experience, and team-working skills in addition to theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Communication skills are perceived by employers to be the most important skills. Descriptions such as “excellent communication skills, able to communicate across different teams”, “excellent verbal and written communication skills”, and “excellent command of the English language is necessary and additional knowledge of other languages is an advantage” often appear as requirements in job advertisements. However, communication skills are ranked number eight on the list of skills and attributes acquired by the students. This may be because communication skills are not viewed as highly important in content-heavy subjects such as chemistry and science. Nevertheless, communication skills can be acquired from arts and social science modules and business modules, where there is greater emphasis on presentations and seminars. There are presentations and project work incorporated in some chemistry modules too. Oral assessment has been incorporated into laboratory modules. However, more oral assessments or other forms of training can be embedded in a chemistry laboratory or teaching module16 to enhance communication skills further among the students in the future. Team-working skills are ranked as the third attribute desired by employers and the sixth attribute acquired by the students. Most of the chemistry modules place a high weight on individual performance rather than group assessments. A group project would usually comprise no more than 30% of the entire chemistry module. While most of the students have acquired the ability to work well independently, there is a greater need to put more emphasis on team work. There are 81% of employers who prefer the students to have relevant work experience, but only 13% of the students gain work experience through internships. Employers prefer to hire experienced workers who do not need extra training, supervision, or mentoring. Hence, 82% of the students suggested the need for compulsory internships or industrial attachments for all chemistry students. The notion of compulsory internships and industrial attachments was discussed with a few chemistry educators at the National University of Singapore (NUS), who opposed this idea. Even though internships provide essential lifelong learning skills, the educators remain unsure whether it is necessary to make internships compulsory. In addition, the educators felt that

Table 2. Comparison of Rankings of Skills and Attributes Desired by Employers, Skills and Attributes Perceived To Be Important by the Students, and Actual Skills and Attributes Acquired by the Students

Desired by Employers, N = 69

Skills and Attributes Perceived To Be Important by Students, N = 258

Acquired by Students, N = 255

Required Job Skills and Attributes

Rank

%

Rank

%

Rank

%

Communication skills Work experience Team-working skills Theoretical knowledge Practical skills Analytical and quantitative skills Passion and motivation Planning and organizational skills Problem-solving skills Ability to work independently Leadership skills Computer skills Adaptability Decision-making skills

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

86 81 75 67 64 59 55 52 49 35 32 32 29 16

2 1 4 5 3 10 7 11 6 13 9 14 8 12

60 69 45 36 51 28 34 26 35 21 32 9 33 23

8 11 6 2 1 3 13 7 5 4 14 10 9 11

27 13 38 76 91 73 10 31 42 49 3 17 18 13

Although the students are aware of the needs of employers, there is a discrepancy between the skills desired by the employers and actual skills acquired by the students. The skills and attributes acquired by students are practical skills, followed by theoretical knowledge, analytical and quantitative skills, independent working, and problem-solving skills. In contrast, employers desired their employees to have communication skills, work experience, team-working skills, theoretical knowledge, and practical skills. (The skills and attributes are arranged in order of decreasing rank.) The undergraduates are required to undergo extensive and mandatory laboratory modules, and they are allowed to take undergraduate research projects. Year 4 students must complete a research-based final year project. Because chemistry is a content-heavy subject, the students have gained an extensive amount of chemistry knowledge. At the same time, they have also acquired practical skills, analytical and quantitative skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to

Figure 3. (a) Existing career-related activities in NUS that are perceived to be most important in preparing the students for the workplace (N = 271). (b) Existing educational programs in NUS that the students are interested in (N = 272). E

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

internships are too focused on certain aspects (Table 1, items o and p). In addition, the educators also express the importance of focusing on a strong chemistry and science foundation rather than work experience. From the perspectives of educators, internships may be useful but there may not be enough quality internship positions available if internships are made compulsory for all chemistry students. If the students think that they need work experience, they could take up the existing internship programs, listed in the Supporting Information. In the survey of employers, they also pointed out that the students lack certain laboratory or research skills specific to their companies. Nevertheless, most companies provide on-thejob training for graduates to equip them with the required laboratory and research skills for the workplace. The students are also encouraged to improve their computer skills, adaptability, and leadership skills.

Figure 4. Suggested programs that are perceived to prepare the students better for the workplace (N = 255).

employers as possible to find out the types of skills needed by the employers (Table 1, item t). In addition, educators feel that there is a greater need to link industrially relevant topics in the classroom to real-life settings (Table 1, item u). However, some issues were raised regarding the difficulties in collaboration. One problem is that industry is always progressing at a pace that is much faster than academia can keep up with. The needs of industry often change frequently and unexpectedly. Even though universities can be open to ideas and changes, some companies might not be open to these changes because their intention and purpose are different, as mentioned by an educator (Table 1, item v). Thus, focusing on the needs of the chemical industries alone could have negative consequences if the chemical industries move out of Singapore (Table 1, item w). A problem arises when there is a lack of interaction and feedback from the employers. Tertiary education institutes may not know if their courses and teaching materials are 100% suitable. Another educator suggested that universities can engage people from industry to constantly review and propose things that should be taught (Table 1, item x). In this manner, the university will be more aware of the skills and needs of employers. Besides this, the university can also provide more emotional support to the students and encourage more communication with the students. The career advisors from CFG are already working closely with the students to foster deep relationships and address long-term goals. CFG looks into exploring various career paths, practicing interview skills, and writing resumes and cover letters with the students. Some educators think that the final year students may become increasingly anxious and overwhelmed when they are approaching graduation. Hence, an educator suggests introducing a Year 3 module where the students are exposed to the industries and carry out some activities (Table 1, item y). If there is a module that allows the students to be constantly exposed to industries and participate in real-life work activities, it may provide more assurance to the students regarding what is required of them. By providing emotional and psychological support, the students may feel more prepared for the future.

Existing Programs and Activities That Students are Interested in and Perceived To Prepare Them Better for the Workplace

The university has always actively engaged employers, and the students were asked about the importance of the existing programs and initiatives in NUS. The majority of the students chose industrial visits as the most important career-related activity, suggesting the students’ interest in gaining more understanding of the working environment (Figure 3a). Industrial visits expose students to a variety of jobs and help the students to make their future career choices. NUS career fairs are ranked as the second most important programs for the students to meet potential employers and secure a job. Instead of implementing compulsory internships, an educator mentioned that it is better for a student to go overseas by taking up a student exchange program (Table 1, item q). In addition to summer or end-of year internships, it is evident that a significant percentage of students are interested in the Student Exchange Programme (54%), International Summer/ Winter Programmes (37%), European Immersion Programme (28%), and NUS Overseas College (15%) (see Figure 3b). Overseas experiences are valuable to the employers because students can acquire attributes, such as adaptability, independence, and the ability to work with people from different cultures. Bridging the Gap between Tertiary Education Institutes and the Workplace

Students were asked about how the Chemistry Department can better prepare students for the workplace. Figure 4 summarizes the suggestions from the undergraduates. There are 82.4% of the students who feel that real-life work settings would be helpful in preparing them for the workplace, and the idea of implementing a new module that consists of workplace projects was discussed with the educators. In the Fusion program,17 workplace projects require tripartite relationships between the student, educator, and employer. It requires the students to complete projects provided by the clients or employers, hence preserving the culture of the workplace. This strategy could introduce students to the working environment and potentially facilitate the transition from school to the workplace. When the educators were asked to assess the possibility of implementing these suggestions in the chemistry curriculum, all the interviewed educators agree that there should be even better collaboration between NUS and industry (Table 1, items r and s). Besides this, an educator suggested that surveys can be administered to as many

■

CONCLUSIONS To understand the learning and teaching environment as well as the requirements of employers, job portals/Web sites were reviewed, and surveys were administered to students and employers. Educators were also interviewed, and different strategies were discussed with the educators. The chemistry curriculum, research opportunities, internships, overseas F

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX

Journal of Chemical Education

Article

(b) Tan, K. S.; Goh, N. K.; Chia, L. S. Bridging the Cognitive-Affective Gap: Teaching Chemistry while Advancing Affective Objectives. The Singapore Curricular Experience. J. Chem. Educ. 2006, 83 (1), 59−63. (c) Tucci, V. K.; O’Connor, A. R.; Bradley, L. M. A Three-Year Chemistry Seminar Program Focusing on Career Development Skills. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (12), 2071−2077. (4) Fair, J. D.; Kleist, E. M.; Stoy, D. M. A Survey of Industrial Organic Chemists: Understanding the Chemical Industry’s Needs of Current Bachelor-Level Graduates. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (12), 2084−2092. (5) Kondo, A. E.; Fair, F. D. Insight into the Chemistry Skills Gap: The Duality between Expected and Desired Skills. J. Chem. Educ. 2017, 94 (3), 304−310. (6) Solano, D. M.; Wood, F. E.; Kurth, M. J. Careers in Chemistry: A Course Providing Students with Real-World Foundations. J. Chem. Educ. 2011, 88 (10), 1376−1379. (7) The Straits Times. Fresh grads’ starting pay hits new high. http:// www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/fresh-grads-starting-payhits-new-high [Accessed Jul 2017]. (8) Chemistry.nus.edu.sg. Education. https://www.chemistry.nus. edu.sg/education/prospectiveStudents/ProspectiveUndergraduates. htm [Accessed Jul 2017]. (9) Nus.edu.sg. Centre for Future-ready Graduates. http://nus.edu. sg/cfg/content/roots-wings [Accessed Jul 2017]. (10) Brandriet, A. R.; Bretz, S. L. The Development of the Redox Concept Inventory as a Measure of Students’ Symbolic and Particulate Redox Understandings and Confidence. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (8), 1132−1144. (11) Mchugh, M. L. The Chi-Square test of independence. Biochemia Medica. 2013, 23 (2), 143−149. (12) Marton, F. PhenomenographyA Research Approach to Investigating Different Understandings of Reality. Journal of Thought 1986, 21 (3), 28−49. (13) Headrick, K. L. Want Ads, Job Skills, and Curriculum: A Survey of 1998 Chemistry Help-Wanted Ads. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78 (9), 1281−1282. (14) (a) Jobstreet.com.sg. Singapore no.1 Jobs, Vacancies and Career site. http://www.jobstreet.com.sg [Accessed Jul 2017]. (b) Jobsdb.com.sg. Search & Apply Singapore Jobs, Careers & Employment OpportunitiesjobsDB Singapore. http://www.jobsDB.com.sg [Accessed Jul 2017]. (15) Bretz, S. L.; Fay, M.; Bruck, L. B.; Towns, M. H. What Faculty Interviews Reveal about Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90 (3), 281−288. (16) Dicks, A. P.; Lautens, M.; Koroluk, K. J.; Skonieczny, S. Undergraduate Oral Examinations in a University Organic Chemistry Curriculum. J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89 (12), 1506−1510. (17) Gallagher, P. Graduate transition into work: the bridging role of graduate placement programmes in the small-and medium-sized enterprise workplace. Journal of Education and Work. 2015, 28 (5), 461−480.

exchange programs, and other initiatives were assessed in relation to the present working environment. By understanding the current situation specific to the job market, better improvements can be made to assist in the transition of the students from the education domain to the workplace. The University and Chemistry Department have put in a commendable amount of effort to produce graduates with promising growth potential. Fresh graduates are highly employable due to the extensive knowledge, skills, and attributes acquired during their studies. Given the changing economic landscape, more could be done to ensure a smoother transition to the workplace by fostering even more communication and collaboration between universities and employers. The curriculum can be tailored to include more strategies to enhance further the employability skills of the students specific to the job market. The survey results indicate that there is some mismatch between the skills acquired by the undergraduates and those desired by the employers. Although there are programs and modules available to enhance communication and team-working skills at the university level, students may need to put in extra effort to explore these learning opportunities outside the Chemistry Department. Nevertheless, chemistry educators can play an even more active role in ensuring that the students are future-ready by incorporating more oral assessments, presentations, and group work into chemistry modules, in addition to the theoretical knowledge and practical skills imparted to the students. Instead of making internships compulsory for all chemistry students, the students can participate in overseas exchange programs, which allow them to improve their ability to adapt and work with people from different cultures. In addition, more mentorships can be offered by the educators and potential employers to provide better emotional support to the students.

■

ASSOCIATED CONTENT

S Supporting Information *

The Supporting Information is available on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296. Brief description of the chemistry curriculum and some of the available programs in National University of Singapore, questionnaire given to chemistry undergraduates and employers, and additional tables (PDF, DOCX)

■

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Corresponding Author

*E-mail: [email protected]. Notes

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

■ ■

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to thank all the employers, chemistry major students, and educators for their support in this project. REFERENCES

(1) Skolnik, H. The relevancy of science curriculums to professional careers in industry. J. Chem. Educ. 1971, 48 (9), 566−568. (2) Davies, G. J. Chem. Educ. 1979, 56 (8), 504−509. (3) (a) Windsor, S. A. M.; Rutter, K.; McKay, D. B.; Meyers, N. Embedding Graduate Attributes at the Inception of a Chemistry Major in a Bachelor of Science. J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91 (12), 2078−2083. G

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00296 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX