INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Business professionals continue to show concern about the job preparedness of college graduates throughout the state, and a new survey from the Indiana Business Council backs their worries.

The survey shows only 21 percent of respondents believe the readiness of graduates for the day-to-day aspects of a job is excellent or very good. Only 40 percent eel graduates are meeting employment expectations.

“We’ve been hearing from business leaders throughout the state about the so-called ‘skills gap,’ but these results show us the issues is perhaps more widespread than we thought,” Gerry Dick, president and co-founder of Grow INdiana Media Ventures LLC. “Many employers have been concerned for some time about the preparedness of those entering the work force as well as those already on the job.”

Other results from the skills survey include:

• Only 40 percent feel college graduates meet their expectations.
  The majority of respondents believe graduates can’t take the skills learned in the classroom and apply them in the workplace.
• Critical thinking, oral communication and professional work ethic are the three most frequently mentioned career skills necessary to being successful.
• The most recent survey also shows the Indiana Business Confidence Index (BCI) is at 63 percent, down slightly from 65 percent in April. The BCI is a measure of the overall confidence Indiana business leaders and employees have in their company’s opportunity for growth and success in the coming 12 months.

Source: Walker