Job-readiness: a clear vision for the future

Preparing students to be job-ready

As seen in the spring 2026 Ivy magazine.

When Raj Agnihotri stepped into his role as the Raisbeck Endowed Dean of the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business, his vision was clear: prepare students to be job-ready.

“Higher education is at a crossroads,” Agnihotri said. “The value of a college degree is being questioned. Is it worth the time and money? As leaders, we must answer that.”

For Agnihotri, the answer is action.

“We can ignore the conversation – or we can embrace change. We’ve always prepared students for careers, but now we must tell our story more powerfully and adapt to market needs,” he said.

His approach is rooted in experience. “Recruiters consistently told me Iowa State graduates stood out because they were ready to contribute on day one. That job-readiness factor is what sets us apart,” he said.

Agnihotri’s focus is also backed by research.

At the latest annual Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) dean’s conference, the message was unanimous: job-readiness is the future of higher education. Employers want graduates with skills, adaptability, and the ability to hit the ground running.

The college is accredited by AACSB International in both business and accounting. Only two percent of the world’s business schools receive accreditation in both business and accounting.

“After rigorous research at the global level, the body that accredits us is saying, ‘If you don’t do this, you will cut off your employers.’ Our identity as a college must reflect this vision,” Agnihotri said. “We’re committed to ensuring every Ivy student will graduate not just with knowledge, but with the confidence and capability to succeed.”

Having said that, what will the Ivy College of Business do differently from now on?

First, connect the dots.

“In doing so, we need to talk with our internal stakeholders – all employees at the college – and tell them what you’re doing is great, but also to have appreciation for what others are doing. For example, getting a job is not just the responsibility of our career coordinators in the Business Career Services office.”

Career services staff assist students in various ways, including preparing them for internships and their future careers. In addition, many other people at the college contribute to the students’ preparedness, Agnihotri explained.

“This will be our theme in all meetings, in all discussions,” he said.

Another critical piece of this work is accountability.

“After talking with employers about job-readiness, they said, ‘What you are talking about is accountability.’ They said that accountability is not a word they hear often from higher education,” Agnihotri said.

It goes deeper, too.

“Even when I say job-readiness, that does not only mean one thing – that a student has a full-time paying job with an organization. It’s more than that. If a student wants to pursue a master’s degree, that person is job-ready. If that student wants to pursue a career in the military, that’s job-ready. That’s why accountability should have a broader meaning, and job-readiness should have a broader meaning,” Agnihotri said.

Another example can be seen in Iowa State’s areas of innovation and entrepreneurship.

“If a student graduates and does not want a job, and they want to create a startup, did we fail that student because they are not employed? No. Getting the job done could mean creating a startup or pursuing a master’s degree or joining the military,” he said. “There are many ways to look at job-readiness, and I look forward to meeting with our students, faculty, and staff to continue this fascinating conversation.”

 April 13, 2026