Employment Skills Development and SBT: an ongoing investigation of postgraduate student perceptions

Abstract

The authors report the results of a long-term research study covering two full cohort years’ experiences of simulation-based training (SBT) activities. The research builds on previous studies by (a) extending the sample group to encompass two large diverse postgraduate cohorts, engaging with the same SBT activity; and (b) supplementing and enhancing our understanding of student experience using focus group activity. This study contributes to the field of simulation applications in business school education in three important ways: (1) Development of skills that enhance students’ employability prospects and future career development; (2) Engaging increasingly diverse cohorts of students in the post-graduate space; (3) Embedding of experiential learning within business school curricula – in the context of this study, through simulation-based training [SBT]. The study that is being conducted will report qualitative and quantitative data and analysis to draw conclusions and make recommendations for further development of SBT in the HEI context, with a particular focus on employability.