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Degree qualifications should not necessarily be prioritised above vocational and practical skills, an expert has warned.
David Watt, the executive director of the Institute of Directors (IOD) in Scotland, emphasised that Scottish colleges must make more of an effort to ensure students' skills on leaving match those actually required by business.
As reported by the Scotsman, Mr Watt was speaking at the start of College People Week - an event organised by the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) which was designed to improve the employability of Scottish students.
He said: "The IOD welcomes all of the technical developments and more technically based courses in colleges.
"It encourages the college sector to engage with the business community at local and national levels and to work with businesses to ensure that students develop the skills most sought after."
John McCann, deputy chief executive at the SFEU, emphasised that students need to gain far more than just academic experience while at college.
He said: "On one level, in preparing students for work, almost everything a college does is related to delivering employability.
"Beyond vocational skills, however, there are a range of criteria on which employability will be judged.
"Soft skills, attitude and self-awareness are three commonly quoted by employers and these are important in contributing to team-working, problem solving, self-management and decision-making abilities."
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