‘Innovation’ and ‘employability’ are often used in and around chemistry
education. In this chapter we explore how these terms can have a meaningful role
to play in relevant 21st century chemistry education. We argue that chemistry
education, in particular at the level of higher education, faces at least three
challenges. We then trace back the genealogies of the concepts of innovation and
employability, and identify a way to understand these two concepts in a way that
rids them off the current economic connotations and which renders their usage
meaningful at the level of pedagogy. We then sketch what we perceive to be the
fundamental traits of a pedagogical focus on fostering students’ innovation
competence and employability. Finally we argue that this focus, in principle, can
be a way to ameliorate the three challenges that faces chemistry education.