Introduction: Applicant work-readiness and graduate employability challenges in the Asia Pacific

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book outlines a contemporary labour market policy challenge for many countries, both developed and developing, in the Asia Pacific region. It discusses the definition and conceptualization of job readiness and identifies the attributes and competencies that contribute to developing job readiness. The book then provides a more detail around analytical framework for identifying and positioning stakeholders in the job transition process. The countries are: Australia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. It also outlines the responses and policies that are being implemented in each country to improve graduate work-readiness. The book provides a synopsis of the issues and initiatives across the multiple stakeholders and the Asia Pacific region and presents a research agenda around work-readiness and graduate employability for the future.