This study aims to investigate the transferability of information literacy skills from university to the workplace. The researchers conducted interviews with 12 employers and 12 graduates to understand their perceptions of important IL skills. Preliminary findings suggest that while graduates are competent in accessing information, they need to improve skills in synthesizing information for business contexts. Both groups agreed that evaluating information is critical in business. The study seeks to inform curriculum on teaching IL skills that prepare students for career success.

1. Graduates
Dissemination
• Western Sydney University
Professional Staff Conference
• ALIA National Conference
• Journal article (pending)
Research Questions:
• What perceptions do employers have of
information skills in the workplace?
• Do graduates think they have the right
information skills in the workplace?
• Are we teaching the right information
skills at university to prepare
graduates?
Literature Review
• Our research in an Australian setting has
similar aims to recent studies on the
transfer of IL skills into the workforce
such as Head (2013, 2015) in the US and
Goldstein (2014) in the UK. These
studies both look at IL skills from the
perspective of employers and
students/graduates.
• The findings are valuable in mapping the
specific challenges of the workplace
which can inform more relevant course
content and activity. Our research will
build on their work and focus on the
Australian context in Greater Western
Sydney (GWS).
Methodology
• Data collection via semi-structured
interviews
• 12 Employers (from big corporations,
SME’s and non-profit)
• 12 Graduates (mix of student/grads and
those who graduated in the last 5 years)
• Ethics approval granted
Aim: The projects aim is to investigate the transferability of Information Literacy (IL) skills from university to the workplace. The intention is to find out what IL skills are
of practical value to newly graduating students in the workplace and their employers. The information gathered will inform how we develop best practice in preparing
Western Sydney business students with the information literacy skills they need for a successful career.
Graduate Attribute: IL is just one of the skills identified in the Western Sydney Graduate Outcomes: “A Western Sydney Graduate … accesses, evaluates and uses
relevant information to solve problems and to continue learning”. By focusing on this attribute we hope our research will assist with how the library at a school and
curriculum level can support this competency.
Other Outcomes
• Investigating innovative
approaches to IL at new PAR City
Campus
• West Project
• Launch Pad
Employers
Preliminary Findings
Employers
• Graduates need to immerse themselves more in
business news
• Collating the information collage is good but need
to improve synthesising information for business
context
Graduates
• Recognise ‘its important to know how and where to
access information’ and acknowledge the
importance of an ‘ability to critically evaluate
information’
• Peers and other people in industry are a common
source of reliable /quick information
• Important to know context and why learning certain
skills at university are important in the workplace
Information Literacy and Employability for Business Graduates in Western Sydney
‘Using external research really
liberates the business to see new
opportunities’
‘The market moves quickly...
important to do new research and
keep that fresh’
‘Context ...important to know where
to go, important to intuitively and
inquisitively how to ask the question
and then more importantly how to
analyse it and make sense of it’.
(employer R)
‘…the gathering of the data but
also making informed decisions
with that and putting that to
the board these are the options
and these are the decisions
from a business sense moving
forward…. Must look at analysis
of the data and see where the
need is so we have a better
opportunity of success’.
(employer M)
‘In the workplace when we look
at the data and information and
make decisions it has real
economic, legal and social
implications…information is
power.’ (employer K)
‘Evaluating information is key in a
business setting as it forms your
credibility and reliability on
observations and recommendations’.
(graduate E)
‘…information from the library was
much more valuable than what we
could find via google scholar which is
available to everybody so I was able to
utilise the information to put together
a business case’. (graduate T)
‘There is too much information...so it's
a given that you need to know how to
do it and how to research and how to
filter it efficiently…in a lot of industries
that are knowledge based
industries…its almost all I do really:
processing, finding information,
processing it, interpreting and then
providing that (info skills) through
advice directly to a client’. (graduate Ti)
Enterprise and Acumen:
Real World Information Skills and Employability
for Business GraduatesPaul Jewell, Business Librarian (principal researcher) Western Sydney University Library; Judy Reading, Library Services Coordinator Macquarie University Library (principal researcher); Dr Louise Kippist, Lecturer
School of Business Western Sydney University (associate researcher); Melissa Donald, Teaching Team Member Office of PVC Western Sydney University (associate researcher)
Background:
Library (New Information Literacy Framework)
School of Business (New Bachelor of Business BBus)
Picture courtesy of P Jewell – eclipse tower Parramatta Picture courtesy of P Jewell – street art Newtown by Fintan Magee