Proceedings of The 5th International Conference on Advanced Research in Teaching and Education
Year: 2022
DOI:
[Fulltext]
Exploring the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Employability of First-generation College Graduates in the Israeli Periphery
Shani Kuna
ABSTRACT:
While the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students of higher education has been studied extensively, the impact of the pandemic on the employability of fresh college graduates has received relatively limited scholarly attention. This exploratory study deciphers the job-seeking experiences of first-generation college graduates in the periphery of Israel who began their attempts to enter the labor force in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted during 2021 with a sample of 24 participants. The findings indicate that these freshly graduated first-generation academics experienced challenges that hampered their chances of both short- and long-term employability. This study provides a critical perspective on the capacity of academic institutions to prepare graduates for volatile post-Covid19 labor markets. Practical implications are offered.
keywords: Covid-19, employability, first-generation college graduates, higher education.