News Releases

Are UWI Grads employable? UWI launches study on employability

For Release Upon Receipt - May 7, 2022

St. Augustine


The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, May 7, 2022 – In order to learn more about its graduates and to be able to better equip its students for the working world The St. Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Regional Federation of Business Chambers, and the Human Resource Management Association of Trinidad and Tobago for the launch of its Employer Perception Study. The study will also include the public sector and employers representing regional and international organizations in Trinidad and Tobago. 

Employability has been discussed for several years but there has been a growing interest in graduate employability over the last decade and the attention to promoting graduate employability has increased. Employability goes beyond the influence on one individual or entity and can be seen as the responsibility of employees or graduates, employers, and educational institutes. 

The Campus Office of Planning and Institutional Research (COPIR) is leading the study which seeks to explore the perceptions of employers concerning the skills, knowledge and characteristics which help undergraduates and new graduates to be employable. From the data gathered, the Campus hopes to be able to learn if employer perceptions vary by sector and to explore the methods used by these employers in assessing graduates’ employability skills. 

The research exercise will be conducted in two parts, Phase 1 will be a survey which will be disseminated electronically to employers in Trinidad and Tobago.  Phase 2, will involve more in-depth thematic analysis including interviews and follow-up with selected participants, who will represent various industries across a variety of sectors through interviews or focus group discussions. 

According to Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Professor Brian Copeland, “There is no denying that persons see higher education as a stepping stone to a good job and, in fact, many students would note this as their main driver for its pursuit. It is the responsibility of us, the educators, to not only equip our students with the academic knowledge but to also ensure that they have the necessary complementary skills to be fully functional in the working world. It is therefore vital for us to hear from our corporate partners on how well our graduates meet their expectations so that we can determine how they can be better prepared for success in their chosen careers."  

Through its partnership with the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce and other professional organisations the Campus aims to have collaboration with and input from a wide range of employers. 

Organisations which are not already participating but would like to do so can contact COPIR via Mrs. Reanti Singh, Head – COPIR, reanti.singh@sta.uwi.edu or Ms. Keren Wilson, Planning Officer/Research Analyst II – COPIR, keren.wilson@sta.uwi.edu. 

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About The UWI 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world. 

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%. 

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

For more, visit www.uwi.edu. 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

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