Note: Full question is “Nowadays, some universities offer graduate students skills that assist them to find employment, but some people believe that the main function of university should be to access knowledge for its sake. What is your opinion?”
Educationists nowadays pay more attention on work-based knowledge than ever. The teaching method which requires students to apply theory to practice has become widely accepted. In my own opinion, I believe schools should emphasize on equipping their students skills and knowledge for their later jobs, rather than just underlining the academic aspect only.
It is clear that the main purpose of university education is to train and assist students to be successful in their career. Though theory and abstract conceptual knowledge are fundamentals of tertiary education, without being able to apply them to practical circumstances will make them become less useful. Obviously that many enterprises well pay for high-skilled workers.
Aside from linking theory and practice, the university should also equip their contenders with the skills which are healthy not only for jobs but also for their own life later. Those skills, including the ability to efficiently work in a team, time management, problem-solving, and so forth, can be achieved by devising the university’s curriculum. For example, teacher can divide students into smaller groups to discuss a given topic within a certain time, thus each group must learn how to work altogether effectively and how to finish the task in time.
Finally, as education plays a vital role in society, it’s very important to connect education with economic success. Understanding the emerging trends in human resource, universities can design their courses to meet the rising demands in workforce. For example, if a country’s core successful business is based on tourism and food services, the face that educational institutes provide well-trained workers for these industries will help the government solve the problem of manpower shortage, also give a boost to the employability of young people.
In summary, the main role of university education is to prepare all necessary knowledge and skills for young people to succeed in their jobs, in an effort to meet workforce demands of society.