According to a new Eurobarometer on graduate employability it seems that employers, when it comes to graduate recruitment, value what is known as 'soft' skills just as much as sector-specific and computer skills. Teamwork, adaptability, communication and language skills are among the characteristics which are most valued by employers who also consider experience as a key asset for employability.

In the Commission's view, understanding better what employers need will help to shape European education and employment policies. The new initiatives put forward by the European Commission, Youth on the Move and New Skills and Jobs, are focused on this objective and aim at helping Europeans to identify and gain the qualifications and skills required in the job market.

Following this purpose, the results from a recent Eurobarometer survey on employers' perception of graduate employability shows that work experience was deemed a crucial asset by 87% of the recruiters, and when asked to choose one action universities should take to improve the employability of their graduates, 39% mentioned sector-specific traineeship as an integral part of a study programme.

Despite this, only 12% of companies say they frequently cooperate with universities on curriculum design and study programmes. There is more cooperation, however, where the recruitment of university graduates is concerned. When asked about the best way to cooperate with universities, employers show strong preference for traineeship programmes (51%) followed by direct recruitment from universities.

Significant numbers of employers questioned said that the ability to work well in a team (98%), to adapt to new situations (97%), communication skills (96%), and knowledge of foreign languages (67%) were important when recruiting for their companies.

International and foreign language skills highly valued

Almost 50% of companies with considerable international business identified knowledge of foreign languages as the most important skill for the future. Besides, the survey laso found that over a quarter (28%) of employers have recruited graduates from other European countries and 18% has done so from outside Europe. 41% of respondents said that they hired employees from abroad because they wanted the best talent available. Among companies with considerable international dealings, 48% stated that foreign language skills are the most important skills for the future.