Integrating employability into degree programmes using consultancy projects as a form of enterprise

This paper reports on an assessment of how enterprise initiatives develop graduate employability attributes, exploring the use of client consultancy projects as a platform for such enterprise provision in higher education. The study was based on reviews of recent literature and an appraisal of an institutional initiative using live projects as an alternative to the more traditional final dissertation. Enterprise initiatives exist in many forms and the final semester postgraduate students in this research are shown to enhance their understanding of client needs, their individual confidence and their team-working abilities. After five years of the programme, and with 60% of students choosing the consultancy project option, the study is offered as a platform for other higher education institutions to use as a basis for enhancing graduate employability and the student experience. It is argued that enterprise activities, in addition to enhancing the student experience, are also of substantial value to higher education institutions themselves and their associated funding bodies.