The role of employability capitals in supporting nutrition science graduate outcomes: an international qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: The study sought to explore nutrition graduates' employability and role of employability capitals in supporting nutrition science graduate outcomes. DESIGN: In-depth semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews were conducted with nutrition graduates who had completed a nutrition science degree between 2015 and 2021. Interpretivism guided this study, which endeavoured to co-construct meaning with participants. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed, whereby data were coded, themes identified and discussed by all authors. The data were further mapped against the graduate capital model (GCM) by deductively coding against the five graduate capitals (human, identity, social, psychological and cultural). SETTING: Ireland and Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-two nutrition graduates from across nine universities in Ireland and twenty-two from a single university programme in Australia. RESULTS: All elements of the GCM were identified with human, social and identity capital most dominant and identified as significantly influential on employability. Presence or absence of these capitals could be clearly identified within each graduates' experience. Formation of professional identity and connection to the profession was strongest amongst Irish graduates. However, more than half of the Australian cohort perceived barriers to professional identity formation, including lack of regulation, imposter syndrome, presence of non-qualified individuals and comparison to dietetics. Both psychological and cultural capitals were rarely spoken about. CONCLUSION: The development of human, social and identity capital is observed among nutrition science graduates. Further investigation is required to enhance the process of identity development and ascertain potential remedies for obstacles. The absence of psychological and cultural capital, therefore, poses a significant issue for the resilience and comprehension of prospective graduates.

Demand for digital skills, skill gaps and graduate employability: Evidence from employers in Malaysia.

Background: A major workforce inadequacy and the change in skill demanded have been observed due to the digital transformation. This study aims to identify the digital skills demanded by employers, focusing on exploring the skills gaps among the graduates that impact graduate employability. Methods: A cross sectional online survey was conducted among the companies registered with the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC). Demand for digital skills was assessed using descriptive analysis of mean scores of the employers' rating in digital skills at present and in future. A pair sample t-test was performed to explore the existence of skill gaps, by comparing the demand versus competencies of the graduates' digital skills in the workplace. Results: Of the 393 responses collected, 376 responses were used for final analysis. The findings show that the current top three digital skills in demand are "information and data literacy", "problem-solving", and "digital content creation". Whereas the top digital skills for future demand are "problem-solving", "safety", and "communication and collaboration". In addition, the most significant (digital) skill gap is found in "communication and collaboration skills" followed by "problem-solving" and "safety" skills. Conclusions: These findings provide insights into the digital skills demanded by employers in IR 4.0, allowing the practitioners, education service providers and policymakers to do better planning on human capital management and training development. By focusing on identifying the current and future demand for digital skills while exploring the digital skill gaps among the graduates, this study provides insight into the employability skills required by the graduate before entering the job market.

Quality culture, university-industry collaboration, and perceived employability among vocational students in China: a Yanpei Huang perspective.

Students' perceived employability (SPE) can be seen as one of the indicators of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) quality. However, less is known about the determining factors of SPE in vocational education. As the founder of modern vocational education in China, Yanpei Huang has written a large volume on ensuring students' employability and the quality culture of TVET. Nowadays, as the feature and nature of TVET, university-industry collaboration (UIC) has been promoted worldwide. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the influence of quality culture from Yanpei Huang's perspective (YHQC) on the SPE and the UIC role in the relationship between YHQC and SPE in a TVET university in China. Data were collected by questionnaire from 341 students from one vocational education university in China. The questionnaire included measures of quality culture, perceived employability, and UIC. The Structural Equation Modelling by AMOS 25 was used to test the proposed hypothesis. The results indicate that YHQC acts as a significant factor in enhancing SPE, and UIC is found to act as a partial mediator in this relationship. This study has contributed to the literature and practices by presenting a comprehensive quality culture from Yanpei Huang's perspective, confirming the above relationship, and providing practical suggestions for stakeholders to develop a quality culture in TVET institutes, promote UIC, and enhance SPE.

Employers most desirable attributes in early-career physiotherapists: a content analysis of job advertisements.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring a sufficient, appropriately qualified health workforce is of global concern. Understanding the attributes that employers seek is critical in recruitment, retention, and educational design. In physiotherapy, there is a dearth of evidence on desirable attributes that employers seek from early-career physiotherapists. This study directly addresses this gap. The aims of this study were to identify the characteristics of the jobs advertised for early-career physiotherapists in Australia; determine which attributes were most desired when employing an early-career physiotherapist; and identify if there were differences in the attributes required based upon workplace location. METHODS: New graduate and early-career physiotherapy job advertisements were collected for six months from 1st October 2020 until 31st March 2021 from SEEK.com.au, a large online employment marketplace that operates across ten countries in the Asia Pacific and Latin America. Job advertisements needed to specify new graduate or early-career physiotherapist eligibility and be located within Australia. Data extraction were completed using QuestionPro®. The Modified Monash Model was used to classify rurality of job location. Job advertisements were analysed descriptively and using content analysis to identify attributes. RESULTS: The search yielded 578 job advertisements with the greatest number collected in October 2020 (25.3%). Of the advertisements, 428 (74.0%) were in metropolitan locations (Modified Monash 1), 47 (8.1%) were in regional (Modified Monash 2), 99 (17.1%) were in rural locations (Modified Monash 3-5), and 4 (0.8%) were in remote locations (Modified Monash 6-7). Most roles were in private practice (63.3%) or aged care (21.7%). The top five attributes requested by employers were client focus, communication and interpersonal skills, team player, willingness to learn, and being able to build rapport, relationships, and networks. Academic results, resilience, and empathy were the least requested attributes. Differences in requested employability attributes increased with rurality. CONCLUSIONS: This study addresses the current knowledge about attributes sought by employers for early-career physiotherapists. The most prevalent attributes requested were client focus and communication and interpersonal skills. This exploration of attributes can help to better prepare graduates for their first roles, align expectations, and increase understanding of priorities for entry level university programs, as well as identify priorities for support during transition to practice. Desired attributes should be clearly defined by employers in recruitment and retention processes.

IS THIS (TELE)WORKING? A path model analysis of the relationship between telework, job demands and job resources, and sustainable employability.

BACKGROUND: Technological advancements and the COVID-19 crisis have accelerated the adoption of telework, impacting employees' work dynamics. Moreover, an aging workforce emphasises the need for sustainable employability. With reference to the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, this study explores how telework relates to job demands and job resources and, subsequently, to sustainable employability. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the repercussions of increased telework on employees' sustainable employability. Hypotheses posit direct and indirect (i.e., mediated) relationships, providing insights for evidence-based telework policies. METHODS: Data from 552 government employees was collected through an online survey. Data collection occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic when widespread teleworking was prevalent. A path model was employed to analyse associations between telework, job demands (specifically work pressure), job resources (social support, workplace communication, and role clarity), and sustainable employability dimensions, including vitality, work ability, and employability. RESULTS: Our path model reveals that heightened telework was associated with elevated work pressure and diminished role clarity. Surprisingly, a positive association emerges between work pressure and sustainable employability. Notably, no significant relationship is found between telework, social support, and workplace communication. Role clarity is likely to be pivotal, positively influencing vitality and employability. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides valuable insights into the effects of telework on job demands, resources, and sustainable employability. The unexpected positive association between work pressure and sustainable employability challenges conventional stressor paradigms. The relationships between telework, job demands, job resources, and sustainable employability uncovered in this study can contribute to evidence-based teleworking policies and strategies that support employee health and employability amidst evolving work structures.

Love over gold and mind over matter? Identifying capabilities that preserve medical assistants' sustainable employability.

BACKGROUND: Medical assistants (MAs) are crucial for affordable, high-quality primary care, but what motivates this low-wage occupational group to stay in their job remains underexplored. This paper identifies the work aspects that MAs value ("capabilities"), and how they affect sustainable employability, which refers to employees' long-term ability to function and remain in their job. METHODS: We used structural equation modelling to assess how capabilities relate to four outcomes among MAs: burnout, job satisfaction, intention to quit, and experiencing work as meaningful. RESULTS: We find that earning a good income, developing knowledge and skills, and having meaningful relationships at work relate to the outcomes. Meaningful relationships represent a stronger predictor than salary for one's intention to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Competitive salaries are necessary but not sufficient to motivate low-wage health care workers like MAs to stay in their job. Health care leaders and managers should also structure work so that MAs can foster meaningful relationships with others as well as develop competencies.

Linking undergraduates' future orientation and their employability confidence: The role of vocational identity clarity and internship effectiveness.

Given the growing research interest in students' school-to-work transition, we examine the positive effects of undergraduates' future orientation on their employability confidence. Specifically, building on social cognitive career theory which suggests that career choices are influenced by a person's experiences, beliefs, interests, and values, we explore the mediator of vocational identity clarity and the positive moderator of internship effectiveness in this association above. Two studies were conducted to test our model. Study 1 included a laboratory experiment (N = 136) and tested the positive association between undergraduates' future orientation and their employability confidence through vocational identity clarity. Study 2 used a time-lagged research design from undergraduates (N = 315) to replicate the results and to additionally test a mediating role of internship effectiveness. We find that undergraduates' future orientation has a strong positive relationship with employability confidence, and this relation is mediated by vocational identity clarity. Additionally, the results show a positive moderation effect, that is, when undergraduates' internship effectiveness is high, the above indirect relation becomes stronger. The current research enriches the existing understanding of how and when the students' future orientation can contribute to employability confidence theoretically and empirically. Meanwhile, these findings indicated valuable practical applications by encouraging universities to promote undergraduates' future orientation and provide effective internships for them towards enhancing their vocational identity clarity and ultimately boosting their employability confidence.

Transition to work: A qualitative exploration of Australian-trained international dietetic graduates' career trajectories.

BACKGROUND: Interest in the role of employability in student-dietitian transitions is increasing. However, little is known about the cross-cultural transition-to-work experience of Australian-trained dietetic graduates of international backgrounds, as well as strategies to optimise work-readiness. The present study aimed to explore graduates' career narratives and identify employability capitals that enabled successful transitions to work. METHODS: A qualitative interpretive approach was employed via a cultural lens. Eighteen participants from five Asian countries who had graduated from an Australian university within 3-15 years, with work experience in Australia or in their respective home countries, took part in in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was performed, guided by the graduate capitals based approach. RESULTS: Transition-to-work was dynamic and non-linear; four themes and 12 subthemes identified: (1) upon graduation, participants felt ambivalent about their decision to either stay in Australia or return home, influenced by graduate visa restrictions, and individual perceptions of their ability to mobilise cultural strengths to gain employment; (2) to get a foot in the door, participants demonstrated resilience, embraced uncertainty and utilised social networks to increase employment opportunities in Australia and their home countries; (3) regardless of which country they worked, graduates reported struggling with their cross-cultural identities in the workplace; and (4) eventually, these graduates appreciated their ethnic capital, thrived in their work and extended a helping hand to their junior cross-cultural dietitians. CONCLUSIONS: Initiatives facilitating connections to the host country and supporting cultural and ethnic capital development, along with ongoing research reviewing employability capital applications, will benefit cross-cultural dietetic graduates and the communities they potentially will serve.

Developing work readiness in university graduates: a case study in mapping a university curriculum to work readiness domains in an Australian physiotherapy degree.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has identified six domains of work readiness: Practical Wisdom, Interpersonal Capabilities, Personal Attributes, Organisational Acumen, Profession Specific Knowledge and Skills, and Professionally Relevant Experiences. OBJECTIVE: Using a case study, the aim of this study was to demonstrate the process of curriculum mapping to evaluate the alignment of a university program to the work readiness framework. METHODS: A retrospective audit of curriculum material for one cohort of Macquarie University's Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) was undertaken. Curriculum was categorized as declared, delivered, or assessed, mapped to the six work readiness domains through qualitative content analysis, and then quantitatively scored and expressed as percentages of maximum possible scores per unit, and average units scores per semester. RESULTS: Mapping curriculum to a six domain work readiness framework revealed declared, delivered, and assessed curriculum within all six work readiness domains, with varying contributions across the degree. Mapping revealed that the Profession Specific Knowledge and Skills domain had the highest coverage of declared (M = 63%, SD = 12), delivered (M = 88%, SD = 11) and assessed (M = 80%, SD = 7) curriculum, highlighting a strength of the program. The Personal Attributes domain had the lowest coverage of declared (M = 5%, SD = 5), delivered (M = 48%, SD = 24) and assessed (M = 29%, SD = 20) curriculum, highlighting opportunities for development. CONCLUSION: Mapping curriculum to a work readiness framework allows universities to consider alignment, and the strength and opportunities for the improvement of work readiness within its curriculum.

Supporting the Biomedical Science UG Project Research Journey Through Staff-Student Partnerships.

Introduction: Developing research skills enhances graduate attributes and student employability. The UG research project is coined the pedagogy of the 21st century but the diversity of supervisory styles is a source of student perceived inequality of experience. The goal of this study was to provide structure and support to undergraduate (UG) biomedical science research students and supervisors by co-creating research informed resources that are accessible, engaging and student centred. We asked 1) How do UG students experience research supervision? 2) What approaches do supervisors use to support UG project students? 3) How do students as partners benefit from being involved in pedagogical research? Materials and Methods: In Stage One, 3 UG student research partners co-developed questionnaires and followed these up with semi-structured interviews. Fifty two UG project students took part in an interactive poll and 14 supervisors answered a questionnaire. Seven students and 4 supervisors were interviewed. These were analysed by thematic analysis. In Stage Two, the questions were asked of UG project students (n = 79) via an interactive poll and the resource developed in Stage One was trialled with students (n = 68) and supervisors (n = 37). Results: The global theme identified was that students feel strongly that the student-supervisor relationship influences their experience, satisfaction and success. In all polls, >90% of students but <60% of supervisors agree that a good student/supervisor partnership has an effect on the success of the final project. A smaller percentage of students felt strongly that they were able to develop a successful partnership with their supervisor. We co-created a visual model and a list of discussion points of how the student-supervisor partnership can be developed, aimed at making supervision more effective whilst being non-prescriptive. Discussion: The resource can be easily adapted. Students believe it helped them to develop a staff-student partnership and supervisors commented that it helps to clarify roles and manage student expectations. This scalable project will support the practice of future UG biomedical science project research students and supervisors. Working with students as partners enabled the development of richer ideas whilst supporting their employability.

Employability and career beliefs inventory: a brief version for unemployed persons.

BACKGROUND: Considering that beliefs may be assessed and changed, inventories measuring employability and career beliefs may be of utmost importance for career interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study introduces the psychometric properties of a brief version of the Employability and Career Beliefs Inventory (ECBI) in a sample of unemployed persons. METHODS AND RESULTS: Altogether, 2023 unemployed persons aged from 18 to 66 years old and living in Southern Portugal participated in an online survey. The ECBI's original internal structure was tested and did not fit the data. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were implemented, and a three-factor solution was retained. The three factors discriminate three types of beliefs named growth, pessimism, and flexibility. Measurement invariance models identified scalar equivalence across gender and educational degree, and metric invariance across age. All items fit the graded response model's parameters. The growth and flexibility subscales were less effective in the assessment of low latent trait levels, whereas the opposite was observed with the pessimism subscale. Internal consistency is good yet discrimination between factors is questionable. Correlations to career decision-making self-efficacy evidence validity based on the relations to other constructs. CONCLUSION: Despite the limitations, the brief version of the ECBI proposed in this study is ready for further use and development among unemployed persons.

Sustainable Employability of People with Limited Capability for Work: The Participatory Development and Validation of a Questionnaire.

PURPOSE: Understanding sustainable employability (SE) of people with limited capability for work (LCW) due to physical or mental disability is crucial for the sustainable participation of this target group. Therefore, adequate measurement instruments for SE are needed. This study aims to validate a questionnaire to measure SE among people with LCW using a participatory approach, including person-job fit (PJ fit) and work-related sense of coherence (Work-SoC). METHODS: Existing scales for the main concepts were tested and adapted for face validity via cognitive interviews (n = 6), with the involvement of a co-researcher with LCW in the research team. Next, the questionnaire was administered among people with LCW (n = 248) to assess its factor structure (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) and reliability (Cronbach's alpha). RESULTS: Analysis of the cognitive interviews identified problems with clarity and readability of items, instructions and response categories of used (existing) scales. The main adjustments concerned the shortening of text length, the usage of familiar language and examples, and the addition of an introduction game. Most of the adapted SE indicator scales showed an overall good fit and acceptable-to-good internal reliability. The overall SE model had an overall good fit, and excluding 'internal employability' further improved this fit. PJ fit and Work-SoC had an acceptable/good model fit and internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The participatory validation process resulted in a validated and comprehensive questionnaire to measure SE, PJ fit and Work-SoC among people with LCW, which enables research into the development of their SE. This questionnaire can be utilised to contribute to a more inclusive labour market.

A Workplace Health Promotion Program for a Predominantly Military Population: Associations with General Health, Mental Well-Being and Sustainable Employability.

Due to the globally increasing life expectancies, many countries are raising their official retirement age to prevent labor shortages and sustain retirement systems. This trend emphasizes the need for sustainable employability. Unhealthy lifestyles pose a risk to sustainable employability as they contribute to chronic diseases and decreased productivity. Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) programs have gained attention as a strategy to enhance employee health and well-being. The Netherlands Armed Forces, a unique employer with demanding psychological and physical requirements, was used as a case study to investigate the associations of a WHP Program with workers health and sustainable employability. The program offered tailor-made guidance to participants (N = 341) through individual coaching trajectories. The program's impact was evaluated by measuring self-reported health, mental well-being, and sustainable employability over a 6-month period. Results indicated significant improvements across all these dimensions after participation in the program. This study provides valuable insights into the benefits of tailor-made WHP programs. While this was an observational study without a control group, this study supports the importance of incorporating individualized approaches in WHP initiatives to foster positive outcomes in health and sustainable employability.

Efficacy of the iJobs Web-Based Psychoeducational Intervention to Improve Job Search Behavior and Promote Mental Health Among Unemployed People: Protocol for a Waitlist Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Unemployment affects millions of people worldwide and, beyond its economic impact, has severe implications for people's well-being and mental health. Different programs have been developed in response to this phenomenon, but to date, job-search interventions have proved to be most effective, especially the JOBS II program. The JOBS II program proved not only to be effective for re-employment but also has a positive impact on beneficiaries' mental health (ie, reduces anxiety or depression). However, by now, this evidence-based program has been delivered only on site in the various countries where it was implemented. In the digital era, web-based alternatives to such programs are highly needed because they have the advantages of scalability and cost-effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: In this context, we aim to investigate the efficacy of iJobs, the web-based adaptation of the JOBS II program, on job-search intensity and effort, the quality of job-search behaviors, and job-search self-efficacy. Further, 1 month after the intervention, we will also assess the employment status and the satisfaction with the job (if applicable). This study will also investigate the effect of iJobs on well-being and mental health (ie, anxiety and depression). METHODS: This study is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial. The 2 independent groups (intervention vs waiting list control group) will be crossed with 3 measurement times (ie, baseline, the postintervention time point, and 1-month follow-up). The design will be a 2 (intervention vs control) × 3 (baseline, the postintervention time point, and 1-month follow-up) factorial design. iJobs is a 2-week intervention consisting of 6 modules: an introductive module and 5 modules adapted from the original JOBS II program to the web-based setting and Romanian population. The web-based intervention also has a human component, as beneficiaries receive personalized written feedback after each module on the platform from a team of psychologists involved in the project. RESULTS: The enrollment of study participants started in June 2023 and is expected to end in May 2024. The data collection is expected to be completed by July 2024. The results are expected to be submitted for publication in the summer of 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first large-scale randomized controlled trial aiming to test the efficacy of a web-based adaptation of the JOBS II program. If our results support the efficacy of iJobs, they will offer the premise for it to become an evidence-based, accessible alternative for unemployed people in Romania and might be implemented in other countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05962554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05962554. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/55374.

An investigation of employer perceptions of Irish nutrition graduate competencies.

BACKGROUND: Undergraduate nutrition programmes prepare students and graduates for a wide range of employment opportunities. However, little is known about how employers perceive current nutrition education practices in Ireland and how well graduates are prepared for the realities of today's workforce. The present study aimed to explore employers' perspectives of nutrition placement students and graduates' competencies for the workforce. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with 12 nutrition employers across Ireland and the UK who currently or have recently employed Irish nutrition graduates or supervised placement students. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Three themes were identified including: "adapting to modern workforce needs", "professional competency expectations" and "valuing competency-based educational and professional systems". Employers reported an overall positive experience with Irish nutrition placement students and graduates. They are perceived as adaptable, willing to learn and professional. Many felt nutrition students and graduates had received quality education with knowledge, skills and attitudes meeting expectations of nutrition education being provided but felt that students and graduates often lacked confidence in their abilities. Employers remarked that graduates who had undergone placements were better prepared for the professional work environment. However, gaps were identified because employers felt nutrition curricula lack training on business skills and digital competencies. CONCLUSIONS: Employers had a positive experience with Irish nutrition graduates and students and felt they were competent for the workforce. Addressing the gaps identified by employers to adapt curricula to modern workforce needs would further enhance graduate employability.

What's up doc? Physicians' reflections on their sustainable employability throughout careers: a narrative inquiry.

BACKGROUND: Physicians have complex and demanding jobs that may negatively affect their sustainable employability (SE) and quality of care. Despite its societal and occupational relevance, empirical research on physicians' SE is scarce. To further advance our understanding of physicians' SE, this study explores how physicians perceive their employment context to affect their SE, how physicians self-regulate with the intent to sustain their employability, and how self-regulations affect physicians' SE and their employment context. METHODS: Twenty Dutch physicians from different specialisms were narratively interviewed between March and September 2021 by a researcher with a similar background (surgeon) to allow participants to speak in their own jargon. The interviews were analyzed collaboratively by the research team in accordance with theory-led thematic analysis. RESULTS: According to the interviewees, group dynamics, whether positive or negative, and (mis)matches between personal professional standards and group norms on professionalism, affect their SE in the long run. Interviewees self-regulate with the intent to sustain their employability by (I) influencing work; (II) influencing themselves; and (III) influencing others. Interviewees also reflect on long-term, unintended, and dysfunctional consequences of their self-regulations. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that physicians' SE develops from the interplay between the employment context in which they function and their self-regulations intended to sustain employability. As self-regulations may unintentionally contribute to dysfunctional work practices in the employment context, there is a potential for a vicious cycle. Insights from this study can be used to understand and appraise how physicians self-regulate to face complex challenges at work and to prevent both dysfunctional work practices that incite self-regulation and dysfunctional consequences resulting from self-regulations.

Insights Into the Employability of Midwifery Graduates. A Case Study of the International Hellenic University.

Background: This study examines the employability and career trajectories of International Hellenic University's (IHU) midwifery students who graduated between 2016 to 2021, with a focus on undergraduate curriculum changes. Objective: To comprehensively examine the post-graduation journey of recent IHU Midwifery graduates. This includes shedding light on their employment trajectories, satisfaction levels, and the practical application of academic knowledge. Through this exploration, the study seeks to inform educational strategies to ensure alignment with the evolving needs of midwifery professionals in Greece. Methods: Online questionnaires that explored post-graduation experiences, perspectives on the study program, and future plans. The questionnaires consisted of a mix of open and closed-ended questions and were completed by 273 recipients. The study was conducted from May to September 2023, with participant anonymity maintained. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: This study revealed differences between graduates of the 'old' and 'new' midwifery undergraduate curriculum. There were notable variations in the perceived impact of the six-month internship on employment. The study also highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational experiences, emphasizing the nuanced challenges faced during clinical practice, practical training, and simulation training. Finally, the self-employed professionals and those employed in the public sector expressed higher satisfaction with the alignment of their employment with their undergraduate studies, than their counterparts in the private sector (p=0.038). Conclusions: Our study offers valuable insights into job placement, knowledge sufficiency, and the impact of the pandemic on midwifery undergraduate education. These findings can guide tailored strategies for improved education and holistic professional development, ultimately enhancing maternal and neonatal care.

Sustainable employability of long-term care staff in self-managing teams: A qualitative study.

AIM: To discover what long-term care (LTC) staff working in self-managing teams consider necessary to remain sustainably employable. DESIGN: Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. METHODS: In 2020, semi-structured interviews were conducted one-on-one with 25 LTC workers from a medium-large Dutch organization providing long-term care. All interviews were audio-recorded, anonymously transcribed verbatim and analysed with thematic content analysis in the software program Atlas.ti. RESULTS: LTC workers indicated a need for autonomy. They wanted their control and involvement in decisions to be strengthened. Furthermore, LTC workers indicated a need for relatedness, by experiencing support, a feeling of togetherness and more time to have attention for the residents. Lastly, LTC workers expressed a need for (assistance in) further developing their competence. CONCLUSION: In order to remain willing and able to work, LTC workers in self-managing teams want their needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence to be addressed. Working conditions are important to these LTC workers' sustainable employability since they can hinder or promote the satisfaction of their needs. IMPLICATIONS: It is important that management in LTC is aware of the importance of LTC workers' needs for sustainable employability. We recommend that management critically reflect on and invest in addressing these needs by enhancing indicators and limiting inhibitors of the needs. IMPACT: A robust LTC workforce is necessary to provide care to the aging population. In the context of the increasing implementation of self-managing teams in LTC organizations, understanding what workers in self-managing teams need in order to remain sustainably employable is crucial. For sustainable employability (i.e. to remain willing and able to work), interviewees indicated a need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Nearly all participants stressed the importance of belonging and feeling connected. Working conditions seemed to relate not only directly to the sustainable employability of LTC staff but also indirectly through their lack of contribution to the satisfaction of workers' psychological needs. The outcomes of this study primarily impact workers and management within LTC organizations with self-managing teams. They benefit from recognizing the significance of addressing workers' needs to ensure their essential and sustainable employability in the sector. REPORTING METHOD: The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative (COREQ) research were used. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Two LTC workers provided advice and feedback regarding the materials and set up of the interviews. These two ambassadors additionally helped in reaching our population, by disseminating information about the study.