Harvest 2025

Bridging the Gap: Why Graduates Need More Than a Degree

Graduates are entering the workforce with impressive academic qualifications, but are they truly prepared for the workplace?

According to our research, No… While they’re confident in digital acumen and eager to contribute, many new hires struggle with the day-to-day demands of professional life.

According to employers, bridging skills are needed more than ever.

What Are Bridging Skills and Why Do They Matter?

Bridging skills are the often-overlooked capabilities that we assume graduates have, but they don’t.

They include:

• Professional communication and email etiquette
• Using business tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and diary management systems
• Navigating meetings and workflow expectations
• Adapting to feedback and shifting priorities
• Understanding workplace culture and unspoken social norms

Despite their importance, these skills are rarely taught in academic settings, and increasingly, they’re being missed during onboarding.

The Skills Gap: Insights from our Early Careers Research

According to our Joining the Dots in Early Careers report, the vast majority of graduates feel ill-prepared in key areas such as, communication, feedback processes, and professional expectations. Employers, meanwhile, are frustrated by a lack of workplace readiness, business savviness and social acumen.

“There’s a common misconception that graduates are ‘ready now,’ but that’s often not the case,” states Julie Ryan of Harvest, “Gen Z may look confident, but they need support, especially in areas like goal setting, communication, and even diary management”

Without bridging skills, the result is often a rocky start: missed expectations, lost confidence, and high early attrition.

Why Now?

The post-pandemic workplace has only widened the gap. Many Gen Z graduates completed their education online, entered remote-first roles, and missed out on formative in-person experiences that develop workplace intuition. As flexible and hybrid models become the norm, the need to build intentional, structured support has never been greater.

Introducing Our Bridging Skills Solution

At Harvest we’ve developed a targeted Bridging Skills Solution designed specifically for early-career professionals.

Why It Works

This solution isn’t just training. It’s transformation.

Graduates who complete the programme will:

• Develop a stronger professional mindset
• Communicate more effectively across levels and teams
• Build resilience and adaptability in dynamic workplaces
• Contribute with greater confidence and impact from day one

• For organisations, that means smoother onboarding, faster time to contribution, and stronger early-career retention.

Ready to Close the Gap?

If you’re looking to empower your graduate hires with the tools they actually need to succeed, contact Harvest today. Our team can help you build a programme tailored to your early-careers strategy.

Click here to view our Bridging skills for early career holder’s brochure: Bridging Skills for Early Career Holders