Development Of Employability Skills Research Articles

Productivity in the Virtual Office: Unpacking the Role of Digital Tools and Work-Life Harmony

This research delves into the profound impact of digitization on modern workplaces, conducting an extensive examination of its multifaceted effects on employees. Employing a quantitative research approach, the study's primary objectives encompass evaluating how digitization influences employee performance and uncovering the intricate relationship between work-life balance and work efficiency. The research analyzes data collected from a diverse sample of 258 employees spanning various industries, subjecting it to rigorous statistical scrutiny, thereby revealing significant insights.
 The study's results indicate that digitization, characterized by the integration of digital tools and technologies, plays a pivotal role in enhancing employee performance, contributing significantly to increased productivity (β = 0.349, p = 0.007). Furthermore, the research establishes a positive correlation between work-life balance and employee performance, emphasizing the importance of fostering a harmonious equilibrium between work and personal life (β = 0.359, p = 0.014).
 In conclusion, while both factors—digitization and work-life balance—positively contribute to employee performance, the research demonstrates that digitization's influence surpasses that of work-life balance, necessitating strategic prioritization. It encourages organizations to invest in digitalization initiatives while concurrently nurturing a supportive work-life culture to ensure employee adaptability and skill development. Ultimately, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between digitization, work-life dynamics, and employee performance, offering actionable recommendations for organizations seeking to optimize workforce productivity and well-being in the digital era.

Towards Best Practice in Designing Sustainable Online Peer Mentoring at Scale – What’s in It for the Mentors?

The benefits of peer mentoring for students studying in Higher Education are well established and have been demonstrated in online, blended and hybrid settings. Best practice in establishing financially sustainable schemes in online settings at a large scale is under researched. Motivations and barriers for peer mentors working effectively as volunteers are poorly established. Findings of a longitudinal study on undergraduate Earth and Environmental Science modules at The Open University, UK are presented. Peer mentors (who had already passed the module) were surveyed before and after completing a 9-month period supporting students asynchronously with non-academic support via a forum. Questionnaires established the challenges and benefits for the mentors, and were followed up by focus groups. Most mentors remained active and committed throughout, identifying few barriers; their expectations before starting were similar to their actual experience. More students volunteer for mentoring than are needed, with many completing more than one round of duty. It is therefore concluded that the mentoring scheme is financially sustainable and transferable to different modules and disciplines. While mentors valued their skills development, further work is required to help them appreciate their employability skills development and potential impact.

Employability Skills

Technology has been responsible for the digitisation and automation of routine jobs. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) this trend is likely to continue into more technical or sophisticated work. This gives rise to the question; how can graduates and employees ensure they have a job in the future? A precondition for understanding lifelong learning is to clarify what kind of learning may take place throughout an employee’s career. This paper explores the concepts of employability skills, soft skills, and 21st century skills in an effort to identify where particularly human skills will still be essential. After reviewing research in the area of employability skills, mainly from a labour market perspective, the paper goes on to contextualise the training and development of employability skills in higher education. Following that, reasons for developing and introducing employability skills modules in higher education are discussed and based on the literature, recommendations are made for higher education institutions, tutors, students, and employees.

The Impact of Job Training on Recruitment and Employability Skills Among Graduates

Purpose: The aim of the study is to examine the impact of job training on recruitment and employability skills among graduates by utilizing the self-perceived employability scale. Theoretical framework: the study is based on the evidence from the literature, we provide valuable insights through a literature review into the significance of job training for graduates in terms of recruitment and employability skills. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a sample of 190 graduate students who underwent job training with a specific company. Employability was measured by descriptive analysis using SPSS to assess questionnaire stability. The analysis also utilized Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) through the Smart-PLS 4.0 program. Findings: The findings of this study indicated a positive and significant relationship between job training and employment within the same company. This suggests that graduates who received training courses in their final year showed increased interest and likelihood of obtaining employment within the training company. Additionally, a significantly positive impact was found of job training on employability, highlighting the contribution of job training to the development and enhancement of employability skills among graduates. Research, Practical & Social implications: The results of this study strengthen employability skills among graduates, which holds implications for graduates seeking employment and organizations designing training programs to improve recruitment outcomes and employability skills within a company. Originality/value: The research value of this study is that it can positively grow the management and business domain, it has beneficial effects on both employed and unemployed individuals, with a greater impact on increasing employment opportunities for the unemployed.

Integrating Public Private Partnership Strategy for Sustainable Students Skills Development in Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Zimbabwe

Traditionally, Public-Private Partnerships(PPPs) are known to contribute to infrastructure development in diverse socio-economic sectors. It is a misconstruction that PPPs are streamlined to a single functioning of developing and improving infrastructure yet this strategy can be adopted to integrate PPP for sustainable skills development in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with a view of responding to the labour market demand realities. Using a mixed methods approach the study sought to establish the feasibility of PPPs for sustainable skills development in TVET by soliciting data from institutions of higher learning and industry. A simple random sampling of 5 TVET institutions and 10 lecturers,5 administrators, and 5 captains of industry were purposively sampled to respond and participate in the study respectively. The data were descriptively and thematically analyzed for a balanced view of the findings. The results revealed that TVET institutions did not consider PPPs as a strategy for sustainable skills development for employability. Also established was policy inconsistency at the government level which hampers possibilities of partnerships in skills development. The results further show that industry plays an important role in skills development through internship, traineeship, and on-the-job education and training. The study recommended government through the relevant ministry and agents expedite the PPPs policy framework to include skills development as a standalone component. There is a need for government to incentivise private sector players to have PPPs in sustainable skills development for increased return on investment and subsequently economic growth.

The Contribution of Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) on the Development of Employability Skills of Undergraduate Students in Indonesia

Indonesia has the second highest youth unemployment rate among all ten ASEAN countries according to The World Bank Data in 2021, with 12% of the total unemployment rate dominated by bachelor graduates. One of the reasons behind youth unemployment in Indonesia is the mismatch between the skills possessed by university students and the labor market skills demand, referred to as the "skill gap." Experts believe that such a high number of youth unemployment is often linked to the failure of educational institutions to develop graduates with employability skills. Moreover, the skills gap is also associated with globalization in the 21st century, followed by new government regulations that ease hiring foreign workers in Indonesia. In this era, Indonesian graduates have to compete with employees from foreign countries, thus making international and multicultural knowledge desired by companies. To tackle these challenges posed by globalization and the quality of education, many higher education and government institutions are implementing one of the most prominent forms of internalization, international student mobility programs, hoping to prepare bachelor graduates to be more competitive internationally. In 2021, the Indonesian government displayed its effort to prepare Indonesian graduates to possess valuable workplace skills in the 21st century through funded international student mobility, namely IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards). However, despite the enormous efforts of implementing the program, there are still many contra-arguments from higher education institutions and Indonesian society regarding the contribution of IISMA in developing the employability skills of undergraduate students. This study is aimed to identify the contribution of IISMA di developing the employability skills of undergraduate students in Indonesia and to see whether it has a difference with the development of employability skills in regular Indonesian undergraduate programs. This study used a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with the interviewees from Universitas Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Bandung, and Universitas Gadjah Mada, who completed an IISMA program in 2021 and 2022. The study discovered that most employability skills desired by companies are mainly developed during the IISMA program compared to an undergraduate program in Indonesia.

China–Africa skills transfer through overseas economic and trade cooperation zones

AbstractThis paper investigates the employment patterns, training activities, and skills development outcomes of China's Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones (OETCZs) in Africa. Drawing upon ethnographic field research and a workers' opinion survey in Ethiopia's Eastern Industrial Zone (EIZ), it answers two questions: How well has intergovernmental collaboration on OETCZs been translated into training opportunities for local workers? What are local workers' perceptions and evaluations of the potentials and constraints of skills development in Chinese companies? Analyses based on field observations and regression models indicate that workers' demographic backgrounds, employment sector, and the peculiarities of Chinese workplaces are important factors to understand the skills development outcomes in Chinese OETCZs.

Investigating the impact of experiential learning on employability skill development and employment outcomes: a UK case study of MBA students from the Indian Subcontinent

ABSTRACT Global economic events have had a profound effect upon both businesses and the available workforce. Industries need a more skilful and advanced labour market and individuals who complete tertiary-level education are afforded better protection against economic uncertainties. Consequently, demand for higher education worldwide is growing, due to a rising number of globally mobile students. However, return on investment is important and curriculums offering employability enhancement and work opportunities are motivating factors when international students make their study decisions. This paper details one UK university’s approach to enhancing international student employability skills and employment outcomes, using a 3-day experiential learning residential on an MBA programme. Employing a survey design, the research investigates the benefits of this residential to 182 international MBA students (all from the Indian subcontinent region). The findings report that the international students developed key employability skills via the residential which significantly increased their propensity to obtain subsequent employment. The results of this paper provide much needed insight into improving both the employability skills and employment outcomes of international students, especially students from the Indian subcontinent, via immersive experiential learning activities.

Analyzing Government Policies in Addressing Unemployment and Em-powering Workers: Implications for Economic Stability and Social Welfare

This research study delves into the intricate interplay between government policies, unemployment, worker empowerment, and their broader implications on economic stability and social welfare. Unemployment and worker empowerment represent two critical dimensions of labor market dynamics, and their effective management through policy interventions is paramount in fostering a resilient and inclusive economy. The primary objective of this research is to analyze the impact of government policies on unemployment and worker empowerment, with a focus on understanding their consequences for economic stability and social welfare. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of labor market data, policy assessments, and qualitative insights from interviews and surveys. Various statistical tools, including regression analysis and time series analysis, are applied to elucidate the relationships between policies, unemployment, and worker empowerment. The research findings reveal a nuanced landscape of policy effectiveness. Targeted workforce development programs and education initiatives have demonstrated promise in reducing unemployment rates by equipping job seekers with necessary skills. However, sustaining job placements and balancing labor market regulations present ongoing challenges. On the front of worker empowerment, policies promoting employee participation and skill development are positively correlated with job satisfaction, job quality, and overall well-being. This underscores the significance of recognizing worker agency in shaping workplace dynamics. In light of these findings, the research provides a set of policy recommendations. These recommendations advocate for a balanced approach to labor market regulations, strengthened social safety nets, and strategies to promote worker engagement and empowerment. Continuous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are also emphasized to ensure policy effectiveness. The implementation of these recommendations carries implications for budgetary allocations, regulatory changes, investment in data infrastructure, and organizational culture shifts. Effective communication, consensus-building, and diligent oversight are essential components of successful policy execution. In conclusion, this research underscores the pivotal role of government policies in shaping labor market dynamics, economic stability, and worker well-being. The findings call for a holistic and integrated approach to policymaking that accounts for the interconnectedness of these domains. By embracing the recommended policies and strategies, governments can progress toward a more inclusive, resilient, and dynamic labor market that benefits both workers and the broader economy

Integrating Triple-Helix System in Agricultural Education Programme for Development of Employability Skills Among Students in Rivers State

The study examined how the integration of triple-helix system in agricultural education programme would develop students’ employability skills in Rivers State. The study adopted a descriptive survey with three research questions. A random sampling technique was used to select 122 (106 students and 16 lecturers) respondents in agricultural education from the population of 350 in Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. A self-structured questionnaire designed in 4-point rating scale of agreement was used for gathering data. Data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation with a benchmark mean of ≥ 2.50. Findings from the study revealed that the integration of triple-helix system in agricultural education programme would develop students’ managerial skills such as enhancing their knowledge in planning, communication and risk management skill among others. Finally, it was also found that students would develop fresh ideas towards solving agricultural problems, imaginative thinking for production of agricultural value-addition, critical thinking skills for decision making, initiative skill for alternative method of food processing and skills for improved packaging of agricultural products when triple-helix system is incorporated into vocational agricultural education programme

Digital Capability Improvement Strategy of PT Telkomsel Employees (Regional Case Study of Papua and Maluku)

Telkomsel changed from a telecommunications company to digital telecommunications so that it can continue to stay in business and provide services to customers in accordance with current and future conditions. Telkomsel carried out a transformation covering various aspects starting from People, Process and Technology. In the process aspect, Telkomsel is now starting to form a new operational model that is designed based on customer centricity. Furthermore, on the technological aspect, Telkomsel has begun to carry out internal digitization through the use of technology that makes all processes possible quickly and efficiently. In the last aspect which is also one of the most important aspects is people. Telkomsel encourages its employees to adapt to the culture, ways of working and capabilities needed in the digital era. Telkomsel considers that employees' digital capabilities are important in responding to business changes. This research focuses on the People aspect, namely increasing employees' digital capabilities. This study aims to determine the digital capability readiness of Telkomsel employees in facing the company's digital transformation, find out the right strategy to meet capability needs and improve employee digital capabilities. The data collection method was carried out through observation, surveys and interviews with 130 employees in the Papua and Maluku regional Telkomsel. Based on the results of data processing, it was found that there were 130 survey data for position bands I, II, III and IV, as well as 10 interview data for position bands III and IV. Based on the research results from the two stages of analysis, namely descriptive analysis of digital culture variables and digital attitude variables. With the results of the observations that have been made, namely employees have potential capabilities that support the transformation process to face industry 4.0 opportunities. PT. Telkomsel in the Papua and Maluku Regions needs improvement towards digital attitudes, with a strategy of fulfilling and increasing digital capabilities to be able to support digital transformation, namely: 1) Maximizing programs from the company for the development of employee digital culture and skills. 2) Creating cultural and digital skills development activities for employees.

Assessing authentically – learnings from marketing educators

ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates the importance and role of authentic assessments, that replicate industry practice, within Higher Education marketing programmes. We answer the call from employers, that students need to gain much-needed employability skills, and we illustrate how such assessments can be created to enable the development of employability skills. We provide an overview of four case studies, to illustrate different forms of authentic assessments, the theory which was used to underpin the designs, the skills developed during the assessments, and the outcomes of the assessments. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced a move to online assessments, it is timely that we reflect on the value of authentic assessments and adjust our practice.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Developing Employability Skills: Opportunities and Challenges

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Developing Employability Skills: Opportunities and Challenges

The Role of Trainings in the Development and Enhancement of Work Performance in the Public and Private Sector

Training is an active learning method that refers to the acquisition and improvement of knowledge, abilities, skills and vocal or practical wonts, as well as knowledge related to specific areas of professional activity. The aim of training is to enhance the abilities and performance of an individual or a specific group. The development and training of employees is the strategic investment of time, energy, and resources in improving the company's personnel. Some of most important advantages of trainings are: Improved Employee Performance; Self-Confidence; Self-Esteem; Self-Image; Increased Team Morale; Development of Employee Skills; Consistency; Enhanced the Reputation and Company Profile; The essence of any training relies in the transformation of three key components of an employee’s qualifications: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Through training, companies "earn" change in these three parameters. Training serves as a mechanism for improving the efficiency of the enterprise by developing the competencies of its personnel. The goal of any training is to develop specific skills, assess opportunities, and aid in achieving desired results. In this article, we will explore and analyse, among other things, practical cases demonstrating how employee training impacts job performance and final company outcomes.
 
 Received: 05 May 2022 / Accepted: 16 May 2023 / Published: 20 May 2023

Bridging the Skill Gap Through Internships: Stakeholders Theory Perspective

The skill gap among the youth of today is widening and is resulting in unemployability. It is time to revisit the education system and work strategies to develop employability skills among students. One such strategy can be incorporating internships in the curriculum at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels across disciplines. While offering an internship course, it is of utmost importance that the stakeholders involved, namely the primary stakeholders, which include the interning student, the Higher Educational Institution (HEI) and the organisation in which the intern is placed, should maintain continuous communication through which all three of them benefit. This paper attempts to examine the perception of the stakeholders about bridging the skill gap through internships, and their advantages and challenges.

A multidisciplinary STEM and liberal arts students-as-partners project promoted the development of employability skills and embodied partnership values

Few studies have explored student perceptions of participating in STEM multidisciplinary students-as-partners (SaP) projects integrated into the curriculum. We conducted content analysis on focus groups to determine partner perceptions of a STEM and liberal arts SaP project and used a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design to explore the degree to which partners thought the underpinning SaP values had been enacted. Four staff and seven students participated in the study. Perceptions of the project were aligned to four themes: outstanding student experience, development of student employability skills, a transformative change in the student-to-staff relationship, and barriers to success and enabling strategies. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated strong inclusion of the partnership values. This paper provides new insights into STEM and liberal arts SaP projects, indicating they may be well-suited to the embodiment of the underpinning SaP values, and help students prepare for the world of work.

Development of undergraduate employability skills through authentic assessment in college-based higher education.

This paper explores how authentic assessment can be implemented to enhance opportunities to develop employability skills through problem-solving tasks. Based on the eight key tenets of authentic assessment (Ashford-Rowe, Herrington and Brown, 2014), this paper presents formative and summative assessment case studies which were created in partnership with external stakeholders on three separate degree programmes at an undergraduate college-based higher education provider. The case studies report on the development of employability skills through authentic learning design on courses ranging from level 4 to level 6 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The cases add weight to the argument for embedding employability within the curriculum wherein the core skills/intended outcomes are delivered as part of the taught curriculum rather than as paralleled approaches which aim to develop employability as an add-on. Each of the case studies are individually distinct, however they each share commonalities that collectively produce an effective framework for authentic assessment design. These key components include effective collaboration with external stakeholders (employers) from within the respective sectors, the joint formulation of a ‘problem’ that allows students to apply real world skillsets to overcome, and lastly the opportunity for external stakeholders to contribute towards feedback that students receive in respect to the assessment carried out. Learning developers in higher education should look to utilise the conclusions of this paper to inform learning design in their contexts.

The Effect of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Motivation on Employee Performance at PT Lautan Sejahtera Nusantara

human resources on the fact are Capital is one of the capital that plays an important role in achieving company goals. Motivation is a mental impulse that drives human behavior on the basis of need. Occupational safety is the control of people, machines, materials, and methods that cover the work environment so that workers do not experience injury. PT. LSN (Lautan Sejahtera Nusantara) is a company engaged in the marine and fisheries sector based on fishing activities. This research is a process that begins with a willingness or interest to know a particular problem which then develops into an idea, a theory from conceptualization. In general, there are three types of research, namely discovery, proof, and development. The research method used in this study is to use descriptive methods and quantitative methods. The descriptive method is used to describe, describe how the Occupational Health Safety, Motivation, and OHS Performance variables at PT. Lautan Sejahtera Nusantara already has good work motivation, the highest level of motivation is found in the employee factor helping colleagues when they have difficulty doing work, while the level of motivation the lowest factor is found in the Employee factor trying to increase mastery of skills to accelerate the process of achieving targets caused by tools and facilities that are inadequate and can hinder the development of employee skills. Employee performance in the company PT. Lautan Sejahtera Nusantara has a significant influence on employee performance based on perceptions acquired by employees

Leading towards the students’ career development and career intentions through using multidimensional soft skills in the digital age

PurposeIn the digital age, the development of students’ career intentions requires serious concentration since these are associated with the students’ future employment and, ultimately, their survival. This study attempted to demonstrate in Pakistan’s Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) the role of soft skills towards the students' career development (CD) and their future career intentions (CI).Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the researchers used a quantitative approach and a questionnaire to collect the data from the surveyed participants. Finally, the researchers based this study’s findings on 392 useable samples.FindingsBy employing the structural equation model (SEM), this study’s findings show that soft skills, such as Creative Self-Efficacy (CSE), Problem-Solving Confidence (PSC) and Teamwork (TW) have a positive and significant effect on CD and CI. However, while Critical thinking and Creativity (CRC) has a positive and significant effect on CD, it has no effect on CI. In addition, this study’s findings confirm, also, that CD has a positive and significant effect on CI.Practical implicationsThis study’s findings assist policymakers and university administrators to understand the importance of soft skills in creating CD and CI. These promote the development of employability skills and fulfill its part in preparing graduates for the unpredictable job market. This study’s findings help, also, to develop logical reasoning in making decisions and in dealing with complex organizational issues.Originality/valueIn a practical way, in Pakistan, this study’s findings confirm the role of soft skills towards students' CD and CI.

How Does Online Education Compare to On-Campus with Respect to Skills Attainment Required for Employment in The Sphere of Business and Management of The Private and Public Sectors?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to emphasize the requirement of online education as compared with on-campus education for employability skills attainment in the sphere of business and management of the private and public sectors. The increase in virtual education has provided the opportunity and impetus for the Guyanese government to invest in online education (Guyana Online Academy of Learning-GOAL) for the development of employability skills.
 Method: The use of secondary qualitative data from different articles and websites relevant to Guyana has been considered in this study in our data collection method. The data was analyzed using the content analysis technique.
 Findings: The study findings suggested that the increasing technological trend globally has provided significant attention to online learning. Many programs have been introduced, specifically to aim at increasing the technical skills of individuals. However, soft skills are of greater significance in today’s world. The focus on virtual learning environment resultantly has also increased with respect to soft skills in Guyana. Therefore, the analysis concluded that online education is also required along with on-campus education to increase the soft skills of the youths to make them more employable in the sphere of business and management of the private and public sectors.
 Recommendations: It is recommended that the Guyanese government increase its focus on soft skills development through both online and on-campus contexts. The universities are also advised to focus on soft skills education more through these settings.