The Results of a Study of Students' Attitudes to the Demand for Competencies in the Labor Market

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the study of students' attitudes towards the challenges of quality management at the largest higher education institution of Georgia, how students assess the market requirements for competencies, and whether they perceive that they receive proper knowledge relevant to modern market requirements. The aim of the research is: a) to study students' attitudes, how accurately they perceive the labor market attitude towards qualifications, and how much they feel that they are receiving adequate knowledge of the market; B) to develop recommendations for the Faculty of Economics and Business of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University to improve the teaching of appropriate competencies and students' attitude towards the learning process. The paper is based on the university grant of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University: "Study of the compliance of qualifications of graduates with the labor market requirements of Georgia", which was carried out by the academic staff of the Department of Management and Administration. The paper is based on: the analysis of secondary information about the Georgian labor market in general, the Qualitative analysis of the Georgian higher education system and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University educational process management mechanisms, as well as the Quantitative analysis of the study on attitudes of TSU Faculty of Economics and Business students and representatives of employer organizations to the above challenges. The survey was conducted using the anonymous survey method, based on a specially designed questionnaire. Out of 200 pre-selected employees, the questionnaire which comprised 69 questions were completed by 137 employers. And a questionnaire consisting of 70 questions for students was distributed to 511 employed and unemployed students according to the specifics of the content. The data were processed using the SPSS Statistics program, both general frequency analysis and cross-tabulation analysis were performed, as well as the reliability of the data and the level of relationships between the variables were determined on the basis of Chi-Square Tests, Cronbach's Alpha, Pearson Correlation Analysis, Linear Regression. In the paper, the analysis of the challenges identified by the results of qualitative and quantitative research formed the basis for finding ways to improve the learning process of TSU Faculty of Economics and Business and developing appropriate recommendations that we think will help the university and stakeholders interested in this issue/field.