Van der Merwe, L. J.Swart, S. B.Du Preez, Minnet2018-01-192018-01-192017-07http://hdl.handle.net/11660/7639English: With the high graduate unemployment rate in South Africa, universities are realising the importance of delivering students with employability skills to attain employment and succeed in the work environment. A gap in the literature was identified, since no framework could be found that described the employability skills that consumer science employers require from employees. Hence, this study aims to construct a framework regarding the employability skills of consumer science graduates, including the teaching and learning strategies and assessment methods which can be used to ensure that graduates have mastered the needed skills. In order to reach the aim of this study, a mixed methods approach was followed. During the first phase of the study, questionnaire surveys were completed by consumer science employers, graduates, lecturers and students to determine which skills consumer science graduates need when entering the workplace. During this phase, 11 essential employability skills of consumer science graduates were identified and investigated. The second phase of the study comprised of focus group discussions with consumer science lecturers to determine the teaching and learning strategies that must be used to enhance the identified employability skills, as well as the assessment methods which must be used to ensure students have obtained the required skills. It was found that a variety of strategies can enhance the attainment of employability skills. The gap in literature was filled by constructing a framework of employability skills for consumer science graduates. This framework can be implemented by consumer science lecturers aiming to enhance the employability skills of consumer science graduates. This outcome can be beneficial for the university delivering more employable graduates as well as the industry who will receive more skilled employees.Afrikaans: Met die hoë werkloosheidsyfer van gegradueerdes in Suid-Afrika, begryp universiteite die belangrikheid daarvan om studente te lewer met indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede om werk te bekom asook in die werksomgewing te slaag. Die gebrek aan ʼn raamwerk wat aandui watter indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede werkgewers van hul verbruikerswetenskappe-werknemers verwag, veroorsaak 'n gaping in die literatuur. Gevolglik is hierdie studie se doel om 'n raamwerk met betrekking tot die indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede van verbruikerswetenskappe-gegradueerdes te ontwikkel. So ʼn raamwerk sal ook onderrig-leerstrategieë en assesseringsmetodes wat gebruik kan word om te verseker dat studente die nodige vaardighede bemeester, insluit. Om die doel van hierdie studie te bereik, is 'n gemengde-metodebenadering gevolg. Tydens die eerste fase van die studie is vraelyste deur verbruikerswetenskappe-werkgewers, gegradueerdes, dosente en studente voltooi om te bepaal watter vaardighede verbruikerswetenskappe-gegradueerdes nodig het wanneer hulle die werkplek betree. Gedurende hierdie fase is 11 essensiële indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede van verbruikerswetenskappe-gegradueerdes geïdentifiseer en ondersoek. Die tweede fase van die studie bestaan uit fokusgroepbesprekings met verbruikerswetenskappe-dosente om onderrig-leerstrategieë wat die geïdentifiseerde indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede verbeter, asook assesseringsmetodes om te verseker dat studente die nodige vaardighede verwerf het, te identifiseer. Die studie het bevind dat ʼn verskeidenheid strategieë die verwerwing van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede kan bevorder. Die gaping in literatuur is gevul deur 'n raamwerk van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede vir verbruikerswetenskappe-gegradueerdes saam te stel. Hierdie raamwerk kan deur verbruikerswetenskappe-dosente geïmplementeer word, gerig op die bevordering van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede van verbruikerswetenskappe-gegradueerdes. Hierdie uitkoms kan voordelig wees vir die universiteit wat meer gegradueerdes met indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede gaan lewer en ook vir die industrie wat hierdie werknemers met beter vaardighede sal ontvang.enGraduate attributesEmployabilityEmployability skillsConsumer sciencesTeaching strategiesAssessment methodsHome economics -- Study and teachingThesis (Ph.D. HPE (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2017ThesisUniversity of the Free State