Abstract

The changing nature of education has expanded the professional expectations placed upon prospective teachers. Besides subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding, teachers require employability skills like communication, critical thinking, Problem solving, collaboration, digital competence, adaptability, professional ethics, reflective practice and life - long learning skills. The present paper examines the relationship between employ ability skills and pedagogical preparedness of prospective teachers through a qualitative thematic book review approach, with particular reference to the Indian context. Nine selected books and related teacher-education literature were purposively examined. The analysis identified that employability skills and pedagogical preparedness are not independent domains, they are inter-related. The transferable employability skills become professionally meaningful only prospective teachers are able to apply them to lesson planning, classroom interaction, assessment, inclusion and reflective teaching. Also, the analysis indicates five interconnected themes: communication and interpersonal skills, professional knowledge and competence, digital and technological competence, reflective and adaptive practice, professional values and lifelong-learning. The review further indicates that teacher education programme should include more theoretical understanding, practical experience, professional and digital competence, reflective practice and basic employability skills.