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Article
Publication date: 13 April 2012

Ronald Heimler, Stuart Rosenberg and Elsa‐Sofia Morote

The purpose of this paper is to use the authors’ prior findings concerning basic employability skills in order to determine which skills best predict career advancement potential.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the authors’ prior findings concerning basic employability skills in order to determine which skills best predict career advancement potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing survey responses of human resource managers, the employability skills showing the largest relationships to career advancement were used in a regression analysis. The regression results generated structural equation models.

Findings

According to human resource managers, leadership skills and information technology skills needed for job performance were shown to be significant contributors to recent graduates’ career advancement potential. Work ethic and critical thinking skills were found to be closely linked with leadership skills. Additionally, management skills, leadership skills, and basic literacy and numeracy skills received from recent graduates by their employers were found to be the strongest predictors of graduates’ career advancement potential.

Research limitations/implications

The research study was limited to graduates, faculty, and recruiters at a business school in southern California. Further studies can determine whether differences in attitudes from those found in this study might exist.

Practical implications

It is important that students develop basic employability skills prior to entering the workforce, since remedial training on the job could impede career advancement.

Social implications

Those graduates who show deficiencies in the skills that are viewed by employers to be predictors of advancement are likely to experience difficulties with career growth.

Originality/value

The first part of this study utilized a triangular approach to survey three distinct groups of respondents – graduates, the faculty who taught them, and the human resource managers who recruited them – concerning their attitudes toward basic employability skills. In this second part of the study, the novelty utilized was structural equation modelling, which highlighted those skills that are most critical to career advancement.

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2012

Stuart Rosenberg, Ronald Heimler and Elsa‐Sofia Morote

This paper seeks to examine the basic employability skills needed for job performance, the reception of these skills in college, and the need for additional training in these…

12748

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine the basic employability skills needed for job performance, the reception of these skills in college, and the need for additional training in these skills after graduation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was based on a triangular design approach, in which the attitudes of three distinct groups – recent graduates, the faculty who taught them, and human resource managers who recruit them – were studied. The participants responded to a survey that included 47 items measuring eight dimensions of basic employability skills.

Findings

The study revealed considerable differences in opinion among the three groups with regard to the skills needed for job performance, the skills received by college graduates, and the additional training needed.

Research limitations/implications

The research study was limited to graduates, faculty, and recruiters at a business school in southern California. It is suggested that further studies be conducted to determine whether differences in attitudes from those found in this study might exist.

Practical implications

Although the respondents identified the importance of leadership skills, these skills were noted to be below expectations for industry. Moreover, the need for additional training of recent graduates appears to be a major concern according to the results.

Social implications

In a highly competitive economy, there is little chance that unprepared graduates will be successful in obtaining employment and then performing their jobs.

Originality/value

The triangular approach taken in this study validates the importance of the interconnectedness among graduates, faculty, and industry. It is therefore imperative to strengthen the communication across these groups to ensure adequate preparation of graduates.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 54 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 January 2019

Mahtab Pouratashi and Asghar Zamani

A graduate must be qualified in order to be successful in the labor market. Hence, embedding employability into higher education is a priority of policymakers and universities…

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Abstract

Purpose

A graduate must be qualified in order to be successful in the labor market. Hence, embedding employability into higher education is a priority of policymakers and universities. The purpose of this paper is to promote students’ employability skills deal with the issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is accomplished in three phases, and qualitative and quantitative approaches were conducted. Data were collected from 14 entrepreneurs and experts in the field of business and 150 faculty members from the main academic categories (including: engineering, humanities, agriculture and veterinary, science, and art).

Findings

The findings revealed that employability skills of students could be totally classified in three categories (basic, intermediate and advance) and five levels. Also, factor analysis regarding university activities to develop students’ employability skills showed five activities including: support, cultural, informing, research and educational activities.

Practical implications

The results can be beneficial for universities’ plan activities and offer proper services that enhance students’ skills for their future career. Also, the findings can be fruitful for higher education policymakers to find the right way to foster employability issues at universities. Mechanisms such as employers’ participation in curriculum development and work-based learning are useful in ensuring a good match between the supply of skills and the demand for skills.

Originality/value

This study classified graduates’ employability skills in basic, intermediate and advance categories. Another important contribution of this study was the proposed paths for improving each level of employability skills, enabling universities to be aware of the proper activities for each skills enhancement.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 November 2022

Fabian Jintae Froese and Lin-Ya Hong

The main purpose of this study was to develop and test an employability scale in a Chinese context. Moreover, the authors investigated how socioeconomic status indicators…

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to develop and test an employability scale in a Chinese context. Moreover, the authors investigated how socioeconomic status indicators (education and occupation of parents, household income and hukou, i.e. household registration location) affect the endowment and development of adolescents' employability skills in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via paper-based surveys from 1,146 vocational school students in rural and urban areas in China at two points in time one year apart. The authors developed a scale to measure employability skills in China and conducted general linear modeling to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicate that adolescents whose parents have more education, highly skilled occupations, relatively affluent household income and urban hukou are more likely to attain higher employability skills than those from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds. Moreover, adolescents with these background characteristics tend to improve their employability skills more than those without such characteristics. This suggests that social capital may further widen the inequality gap among adolescents.

Research limitations/implications

The framework of employability skills focuses on the general basic transferable employability skills of vocational students. Future studies could develop measures of employability skills for college graduates and widen the measurements of social capital based on the study’s findings. The findings suggest that higher education institutions should be encouraged to integrate resources to improve education inequality between rural and urban regions to the disparity in adolescents' employability skills development.

Originality/value

Building on Western frameworks, the study defines and develops an employability scale in the Chinese context that can be a practical measurement tool for researchers, educators and policymakers. The authors investigated the endowment and development of employability skills in relation to social capital. Exposure to social capital tends to affect an individual's skills and capability development at an early stage, and in the long term, this calls attention to access to quality education between rural and urban youth.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 27 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2022

Amzad Hossain, Ying Kong, Harvey Briggs and Kim Laycock

This paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in indigenous contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

This study constructs the employability skills into six indexes from employers' perspective: reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills, job searching skills and indigenous cultural awareness. Mixed methods have been applied to this research: survey data are used for empirical analysis of the six indexes of employability skills; secondary sources of similar studies together with functional theory in education as a framework is adopted to explore the breadth and depth of employability skills requested by employers; indexing analysis is adopted to validate the necessity of developing such skills in indigenous contexts in Northern Manitoba.

Findings

The correlation analyses and mean values show that employers in Northern Manitoba take the six indexes as influential factors of students' employability. As such, the study indicates that Northern Manitoba employers consider employability in indigenous contexts as a combination of basic skills, professional requirements, soft skills and cultural awareness. The employers' attested employability is in line with the concept of the technical-function theory, which requires education to meet the demand for updated job skills due to a technological change. Moreover, Northern Manitoba employers' emphasis on indigenous cultural awareness as employability skills rationalizes the necessity to integrate indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in UCN and post-secondary institutes with similar attributes. It confirms that indigenous cultural awareness is required by employers in Northern Manitoba populated with indigenous communities. The research findings suggest that the functional theory of education might help UCN and similar institutions globally to offer programs that will reduce employment inequality.

Research limitations/implications

This research is conducted among the employers in Northern Manitoba, and the indexes and their factors are designed to evaluate UCN students' employability in general.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this paper can be applied as a parameter for upgrading educational strategies to integrate essential and professional employability skills such as reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills and job searching skills with indigenous cultural components into UCN curriculums and programs. It can be applied to other post-secondary institutes with similar attributes to enhance their students' employability. Furthermore, the research findings can be used as a guideline for UCN to tailor their programs for the job market locally and as references for post-secondary institutions with similar student compositions globally.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence from the employers' viewpoint to support the necessity of integrating essential and professional employability skills with indigenous cultural awareness into the curriculums and programs of UCN, a post-secondary institution in indigenous populated Northern Manitoba. Furthermore, it is also attested that employers consider indigenous cultural awareness as an influential factor of students' employability in indigenous contexts.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 12 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2018

Sharifah Kamaliah, Samsilah Roslan, Ab Rahim Bakar and Zeinab Ghiami

The vocational education and training (VET) system needs a future change in order to be more accountable to employers (and their associations) for training outcomes that match…

Abstract

Purpose

The vocational education and training (VET) system needs a future change in order to be more accountable to employers (and their associations) for training outcomes that match employer expectations. As part of this, an important focus is employability skills that go beyond work-related technical and interpersonal skills to include employer-preferred values, attitudes and personality dimensions. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of supervised work experiences (SWEs), among other factors, on undergraduate vocational trainees’ acquisition of employability skills.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 138 respondents ranging in age from 17 to 24 years who successfully completed their two years program awarded with Malaysian Skill Certificate were included. They were divided into two sub-populations, trainees participating and trainees not participating in the SWE. Descriptive analysis, Correlation and ANCOVA were applied for data analysis.

Findings

The results showed that participating students achieved a moderately higher level of employability skills compared to students not participating in the SWE. The findings also revealed other factors contributing to the acquisition of employability skills, including gender, age, work experience, self-concept and achievement motivation. However, achievement motivation was found to be significantly related to the acquisition of employability skills. Therefore, participation of vocational trainees in the SWE influences the acquisition of employability skills which are identified as career success skills and could facilitate youth in transition from school to work.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research has reached the aims, there were a few limitations which may effect on generalization of the findings. Because of the limit access to students from all majors in vocational training, this study focused on six types of skills. In addition, the number of participants from different courses was not equal.

Practical implications

The research findings also imply several practical implications. First, based on the finding, it can be suggested that industries provide students’ vocational training under supervision of expert in their course area in order to enrich the level of trainees’ acquisition of employability skills. Second, referring to the finding, focusing on the key aspects of employability skills, industries can improve the trainees learning process and producing workers with abilities to allow them to interact with job duties in the organization of workplace.

Originality/value

This study can serve as a model for evaluation when implementing school to work programs.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 January 2022

Antigone G. Kyrousi, Eugenia Tzoumaka and Stella Leivadi

The paper aims to explore employability in business as perceived by Generation Z (late millennials) business students and faculty. It focuses on perceptions regarding necessary…

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Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to explore employability in business as perceived by Generation Z (late millennials) business students and faculty. It focuses on perceptions regarding necessary employability skills from the diverse standpoints of two different groups of stakeholders within one Higher Education Institution.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a Mixed Qualitative Design approach including a core and a supplementary component; Generation Z student perceptions are initially identified through a thematic analysis of students’ research reports on employability. These perceptions are then further contextualized through findings from a series of personal interviews conducted with Generation X academics in the same institution.

Findings

The findings support the two basic dimensions of perceived employability, work readiness and employability skills, for which students and educators hold similar notions. Both stakeholders distinguish between “hard” and “soft” skills, but filter their relative importance through a generational lens. An emerging finding was the link between personality traits and perceived employability skills.

Originality/value

The paper examines the much-debated issue of perceived employability through the eyes of Generation Z students; research on employability perceptions of Generation Z is, to date, limited. The topic is timely, as Generation Z is the newest generation entering the business job market. In addition, the paper adds to the emerging contemporary stream of literature exploring employability in the field of business education.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 45 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 July 2020

Dieu Hack-Polay

The paper aims to critically examine overconfidence in numeracy among higher education (HE) graduates and its impact on their employability. The paper discusses the extent to…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to critically examine overconfidence in numeracy among higher education (HE) graduates and its impact on their employability. The paper discusses the extent to which graduates, because of higher qualifications, overstate their numerical abilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a review of the academic literature examining the theoretical significance of overconfidence in HE. The review subsequently draws on practice and policy reports that evidence graduates' overconfidence in numeracy and basic skills.

Findings

The article shows a significant interaction between the level of qualification and overstatement of numerical abilities. The analysis found that graduates do not always have an important basic skill such as numeracy whose impact on work performance is significant.

Practical implications

The findings are momentous for rethinking HE curricula, employee development in organisations and government skills strategy. The article advocates more inclusive and interpretive research for a greater understanding of the issues and offers useful data to policymakers and HE institutions in preparing graduates for work and decision-making. Further research in the field is required to enable the formulation of more authoritative conclusions.

Originality/value

A critical contribution of this reflection is to have linked the evidence from the academic literature with employer surveys about graduate basic skills to draw the attention to a vital issue affecting national and organisational productivity, thus substantiating anecdotal evidence about graduate overconfidence. This reinforces the value of systematic literature review in research, as it provides an opportunity for more informed policy formulation as well as extending the body of research.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 63 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2022

Renuka Mahajan, Pragya Gupta and Richa Misra

The paper aims at examining the employability skills relevant in the unprecedented times of turbulence in businesses due to COVID-19 in the Indian context.

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Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims at examining the employability skills relevant in the unprecedented times of turbulence in businesses due to COVID-19 in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examined the recent skills model through an extensive literature review. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is conducted to identify the employability skills perceived as important by multiple stakeholders. ANOVA was applied to examine the differences in perceived importance attached to these dimensions by the three stakeholders.

Findings

The ten-factorial solution was extracted based on the results of EFA The findings offer a fresh perspective on digital competencies perceived as most important to ensure successful long-term employability, followed by business fundamentals and behavioral skills.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been able to map perceptions of employers, faculty and students based in Delhi-NCR regarding essential employability skills. It would be worthwhile to validate the proposed employability skills framework across different geographical sections of India and ascertain if the perceptions vary in the employment sector and employer size.

Practical implications

Although the study has put forth practical employability skills, there is a need for convergence between the business stakeholders and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to develop a broad skill-base for the fresh graduates. The study will prepare them for the volatile business environment.

Originality/value

Many previous studies have lacked the employability skill framework in the Indian context from the multiple stakeholders' perspective. The HEIs can rethink their current employability, including the most prominent skills required in succeeding in a technology-enabled business environment transformed by the pandemic.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 64 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2020

Amzad Hossain, Harvey Briggs and Ying Kong

The purpose of this study is to analyze the indexes of employability assets that affect students' employability in Indigenous contexts.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the indexes of employability assets that affect students' employability in Indigenous contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The study restructures the indicators developed from the survey the authors did for the Vital Outcome Indicators for Community Engagement (VOICE) research project into six employability indexes. The six indexes are reading and comprehension, numeracy, technological mastery, contribution to organizational performance, job searching skills and cultural awareness. The study has applied mixed research method, which is the combination of survey and secondary data analyses.

Findings

All six indexes have impacts on students' employability in various degrees with a high level of internal consistency among the indicators. The regression analysis reveals that the technological mastery, reading and comprehension and numeracy indexes significantly influence students' contribution to the organizational performance. The results also show that cultural awareness has impacts on employability but students do not connect it to the required employability skills. Such disconnection of cultural awareness with employability skills justifies the necessity to integrate Indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in today's post-secondary education, particularly in the University College of the North (UCN), improving students' cultural knowledge, which, in return, enhances their employability in Indigenous contexts. The result is also applicable globally to countries which have large populations of Indigenous people such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Mexico and other regions where workplaces are set in Indigenous contexts.

Research limitations/implications

The research survey was only conducted within students of UCN Thompson campus.

Practical implications

The results of this paper can be used as a guideline to adjust teaching/learning strategies with a focus on integrating Indigenous cultural components into UCN courses and programs, including other institutions with similar attributes to enhance Indigenous students' employability. UCN tri-council, faculty, community leaders, researchers, government and NGOs can also use the outcome of this paper to articulate polices that enhance students' employability. The outcome and strategic implication of the study can also be applicable to any institutions in a global Indigenous context.

Originality/value

The authors of the paper provide empirical evidence from the indexes of the employability assets including their indicators affecting students' employability. It is attested that cultural awareness index have impacts on students' employability in Indigenous context.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

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