Employers’ perspectives on employability skills and attributes of mining engineering undergraduates in South Africa

Abstract

There is an increasing demand for universities to produce work-ready graduates in the mining sector. Universities and industry therefore acknowledge the need to support graduate employability through various strategies that focus on theory-practice integration. Mining engineering undergraduate programmes offered in South Africa furnish students with knowledge and skills that enable them to effectively transition to the workplace. This signifies the valuable employability skills and attributes which are highly sought after in the workplace. This article presents data based on interviews with employers in the mining industry. The paper draws from Kolb’s experiential learning theory which provided an analytical lens for the study. The article presents findings on the following themes: development of reflective learning experiences; enhancing workplace experience through work-integrated learning (WIL); development of employability skills; and university and mining company partnerships. In conclusion, this qualitative study on employers’ perceptions regarding the attributes of mining engineering undergraduates may play a significant role in understanding the mining sector’s contribution to fostering employability among students.