Employability Skills Of Students Research Articles

Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Student Employability Skills - an Employer’s Perspective

Like most university learners, students in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, experienced hybrid learning environments from March 2020 transitioning into hybrid approaches for the full academic year 21/22. As students who were in the early years of their programme at this time, and experienced a shift from traditional education practices are soon to graduate, a short research project was undertaken to better understand the perception of employers on the impact of remote and hybrid learning on current, and future, graduate skills, and competencies. Several employers in the chemical industries were surveyed to rate changes in their perception of, and importance of, key graduate skills and competencies after the pandemic. In general, it was shown that the employers responding to this survey did not show concern about the level of personal, professional, and higher-level cognitive skills developed by students working in remote/hybrid environments during the pandemic. A gap in practical skills was acknowledged as indicated by employers’ viewing students as being less skilled in this area, however the skills gap was not thought to be important with regards to employability. Additionally, employers indicated an increased importance on a student’s ability to develop and demonstrate basic personal and professional skills including communication, collaboration, interpersonal/networking, autonomy, self-management, and resilience. The research suggests programme leaders creating or modifying curricula should place attention on the development of these skills and competencies to ensure students are self-led to successfully transition into the workplace.

Development of a hybrid teaching factory model based on school governance in improving employability skills of vocational students

This research aims to develop a framework for a hybrid teaching factory model that combines face-to-face and online learning with information and communication technology to improve employability skills in the new normal era. The research method uses the ADDIE Research and Development model, which consists of five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The research was conducted in several vocational high schools in DKI Jakarta Region, Indonesia. The findings in the research prove that the implementation of hybrid learning has an impact on students and teachers. Hybrid learning teaching factory is proven to be able to overcome frustrations and limitations between teachers and students in the learning process through online facilities, making teaching factory learning more innovative because there are variations of learning to interact and discuss, and making the classroom atmosphere conducive because students become happy and active in learning and skilled in working. The success of a hybrid teaching factory is considered mutually beneficial for both students and teachers who complete one of the teaching factory learning curriculums while industry instructors develop and work on collaborative platforms that provide useful services such as augmented reality and virtual reality-based applications.

Challenging 21st-Century Competencies for STEM Students: Companies’ Vision in Slovenia and Norway in the Light of Global Initiatives for Competencies Development

Rapid technological innovations are changing the jobs that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students are employed in after completing their education. Therefore, employers are looking for applicants with skills beyond the specialised professional competencies that can be acquired in the chosen subjects during formal education. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have an important role to play in this process, as they endeavour to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge for future jobs. Our study aims to identify the key competencies that Slovenian and Norwegian companies expect from graduates of selected STEM degree programmes in both countries. Based on these findings, the participating HEIs can tailor their degree programmes to the employability requirements of companies. This study first analysed European and international recommendations and initiatives relevant to skills development in STEM employment and education. We selected 30 key competencies and included them in the questionnaires in which companies’ human resources managers (HRMs) defined their attitudes towards employability skills in the future. We focused on companies employing graduates of the Ecotechnologies and Civil and Environmental Engineering programmes of the participating HEIs. The analysis of the results showed that companies in the two countries have different attitudes towards skills. Four competencies were identified as more important in both countries: (i) management and design of processes, technologies, and people’s work, (ii) adaptation to changes, (iii) ability to manage uncertainty, and (iv) innovation. Based on the analysis, we have developed a framework of ten employability skills for STEM students. In addition, this study provides the basis for operating a decision support system (DSS) to monitor the development of students’ competencies. The DSS is being developed as part of the RESPO-VI project supported by the Norway Grants to better match the skills of STEM students as future job seekers with the needs of potential employers. The study’s results will also help other formal and non-formal education adapt their curricula and thus reduce the employability skill gaps between current STEM education and future labour market needs.

Second Language Proficiency, Learning Strategies, and Employability Skills in Undergraduate Student

The present study hopes to investigate a comprehension of the relationship between second language proficiency, language strategies and the employability skills of undergraduate students. Though limited in the number, the studies conducted with respect to the topic under discussion in the current study show that there is a strong relationship between second language proficiency, language learning strategies and employability skills of undergraduate learners. Raising students awareness regarding their proficiency and strategies might make them not only more prepared for learning but also more analytic about their learning proficiency and the strategies they make use of it. Employability skills are those personal and daily living habits that have been identify employers and young entry level workers as essential for obtaining employment and for success in the work place. Language fluency plays a vital role in deciding the learning strategies as well in the job market. The current study focus on employability skills undergraduate students as it is high time to study their skills and enhance their skills as education is development of all round personality.

Breaking Stereotype in the Development of Employability Skills Using Flexible Learning and Pedagogical Tools: A Multiple Study of Business Schools

The study sought to explore students’ and teachers' perspectives on the development of 21st-century employability skills for business students in four different countries through flexible learning pedagogical tools and approaches. Notwithstanding the notable successes recorded in the field of flexible learning over the years, some people are still wondering about the effectiveness of these teaching and learning tools when compared to students being on campus for studies. This study helps to establish the importance of flexible learning pedagogical tools in the development of employability skills for students in business schools across four different continents. The current study argues that flexible learning pedagogical tools should be paid more attention to by higher education providers to encourage and deepen students' learning experience in business schools. The study has shown that some pedagogical tools are more effective in the flexible learning environment than the traditional universities, due to the level of acceptability by the students and academics sampled for this study. Moreover, the use of pedagogical tools such as lectures, class debates, group projects, case studies, internships, technology-embedded tools such as smartphones or iPads, multiple-choice tests, essay tests and term papers were found to be effective and fit for purpose by most of the participants. They linked the level of effectiveness to the employability skills they offer along with factors such as students’ preferences, learning styles, prior learning, motivation, academic choice based on their previous experiences or willingness to deliver certain pedagogical tools, assessment methods, learning cultural aspects and the backgrounds of both academics and students along with where the learning is taking place. It identifies the key tools used within a flexible learning environment such as lectures and especially videos of lectures uploaded on Moodle for the students to access at any time and anywhere (accessibility of learning materials). The study findings revealed role play, case studies, class discussion, group projects, guest speakers, internships, MCQs/essays/term papers, reading, and homework were efficient post-COVID learning in fostering 21st-century employability skills for business students. Also, due to the flexible nature of teaching and learning technology embedded tools such as social media, mobile devices, games, and simulation are becoming more and more popular and adopted by various academics in their teaching pedagogy. The effectiveness of the learning and teaching tools relies on the employability skills undergraduate students develop during their studies. Most of the students and academics sampled for this study were satisfied with the delivery of the course delivery and the level of employability skills developed from them. The main challenge of educators is to identify the key link between pedagogical tools and employability skills they develop and utilise to promote 21st-century graduate skill sets. The current research project confirmed that the flexible learning approach leverages the benefits of pedagogy and learning technology to offer an engaging, educative, and bespoke learning experience that assists business students to realise their potential. It is recommended that learning providers construct and evaluate learning infrastructures, policies, and practices to provide inclusive and accessible learning opportunities that promote successful learner engagement and belonging, to guarantee a positive experience in business schools.

"Cultivating Employability Skills in MBA Students: Navigating Towards a Renewed India"

"Cultivating Employability Skills in MBA Students: Navigating Towards a Renewed India"

The Impact of Task-Based Approach through Interdisciplinary Learning for Fostering Employability Skills among Technical Students

With the increasing need for a workforce with diverse skill sets, educational institutions face the challenge of inventing teaching techniques that transcend disciplinary limits and foster crucial skills for career success. Task-Based Approach employs in creating and executing educational activities that revolve around real-world tasks, promoting a dynamic learning atmosphere. In contrast, Interdisciplinary Learning places emphasis on merging various disciplines to tackle challenges and find solutions. This study investigates the efficacy of using a Task-Based Approach (TBA) within an interdisciplinary classroom to foster the employability skills of students. This study also adds to the current discussion about teaching methods that ready students for prosperous careers in a professional environment that is more interconnected and complex. This research adopts a quantitative approach, where an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to assess the effectiveness of the Task-Based Approach in an Interdisciplinary classroom. The study examines a sample size of 760 technical students from selected colleges in Madhya Pradesh. The statistical technique employed for analysis is Multiple Linear Regression in the SPSS software version 2023, enabling the exploration of correlations and variations among independent and dependent variables. Overall, this study underscores the significance of implementing Task-Based methodology through an Interdisciplinary learning in nurturing employability skills among technical students, thereby making a meaningful contribution to their personal and professional success.

Pengembangan Instrumen Kecakapan Kerja Mahasiswa (Rasch Model Analisis)

Employability Skills for College Students in University are an asset that can bring students closer to being ready to enter the world of work. Employability Skill can be interpreted as a series of characteristics including knowledge, attitudes, and skills that make a person capable of being trained. To get a general trend or a long work profile students need an instrument to reveal these variables. This study aims to develop employability skill instruments that are psychometrically tested both in terms of validity testing and instrument reliability testing using the RASCH model analysis method. The research instrument has been tested on 728 people. The results showed that from testing the instrument's validity using the RASCH model analysis on Outfit MNSQ, Outfit ZSTD, and Pt Measure Corr, of the 54 items developed, a total of 48 items met psychometric standards. The instrument's reliability on Cronbach's alpha value is in very good criteria, even in terms of reliability a person is in the very good category, and item reliability is in the special category. Therefore, the student employability skills instrument meets psychometric requirements and can be used as an instrument to measure student employability skills.

Graduate employability skills of business students: the moderating role of reflective practices

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of the reflective practice of business students on how it helps to develop their employability skills through various university strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a simple random sample to select undergraduate level 400 students from the Universities under study (the University of Ghana, University of Professional Studies Ghana, Lancaster University Ghana and Webster University Ghana). Only final-year students with an informed judgement on the reflective practice and various institutional practices to acquire graduate employability skills were participated. The independent variables of the study are institutional strategies (curriculum design, extra curriculum, work-integrated learning, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement, internship job placement), the moderator is the reflective practice and the dependent variable of the study is graduate employability.FindingsThe study found that the moderation role of reflective practice had a significant effect on institutional strategies (extracurriculum, career development centre, university collaboration with the industry, student engagement and internship job placement) and graduate employability.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to only undergraduate business students from four universities ignoring other disciplines and postgraduate students.Practical implicationsThe practical implication is that reflective practice must be an integral tool for various universities if they want students to use their strategies to sharpen their employability skills.Social implicationsThe social implications of the study emphasise the reflective practice of graduate students in universities. This implies that firms and other institutions must consider reflective practice for the maximum output of their employees.Originality/valueThe concept of employability is a bit complex as it concerns many stakeholders of the educational process; the students, academic staff, employers, policymakers and higher education; the private sector; and the government. Although examining students' employability development skills is of great importance, students' reflective practice tends to be overlooked in most studies. Therefore, the focus of this study examines how the reflective practice of graduate students promotes employability through the various university strategies, which had not been considered.

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.

Pengaruh Pembelajaran Online terhadap Employability skill Mahasiswa Fakultas Teknik Universitas Negeri GorontaloPengaruh Pembelajaran Online terhadap Employability Skill Mahasiswa Fakultas Teknik Universitas Negeri Gorontalo

This study aims to determine the effect of online learning on the employability skills of students of the Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo. The method used in this study is a quantitative correlational method. Correlation research is research that aims to determine whether there is a relationship between two or more variables. In this study, data processing was carried out using SPSS version 25.0. The sample of this research was 177 students from class of 2017, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo. Research data collection techniques using a questionnaire. Analysis prerequisite tests include normality tests, linearity tests, and multicollinearity tests. Hypothesis testing includes simple regression analysis. The results of the study show: There is a significant effect of online learning on the employability skills of students of the Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo by 2.8%.

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.

The Effectiveness of Curriculum Review in Improving Quality, Relevance, and Students’ Employability in University Education in Uganda

The study examined the relationship between curriculum review and students’ employability in the faculty of science at Kyambogo University, Uganda. The population comprised of lecturers in the faculty of science and the sample size consisted of 66 full time lecturers. The specific objective of the study was to assess the relationship between curriculum review and students’ employability. Curriculum review was assessed regarding its relevance in developing professional skills, personal skills, and interpersonal skills as important employability skills for students. Quantitative results revealed that there is a positive statistically significant correlation between curriculum review and students’ employability (Professional skills r= 0.766, p=.0.001; Personal skills r=0.596, p=0.356; interpersonal skills, r=0.349, p=0.497). Regression analysis indicated that curriculum review (β = 0.75, P = 0.00) < 0.05) had a strong positive significant effect on students’ employability. Qualitative results revealed that curriculum review is one of the strategies of quality assurance at the programme level; participation of key stakeholders in the curriculum review ensures the quality and relevance of the curriculum; and financial facilitation of curriculum review process motivates higher levels of output. It is therefore recommended that: the University financially facilitates curricula reviews so that key stakeholders get involved to improve the quality and relevance of curricula; Kyambogo University should collaborate and develop partnerships with industries to improve educational innovation, University technology, and promote knowledge transfer from university to industry and society, and consequently enhance students’ employability.

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.

Pengaruh Pembelajaran Online terhadap Employability skill Mahasiswa Fakultas Teknik Universitas Negeri Gorontalo

This study aims to determine the effect of online learning on the employability skills of students of the Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo. The method used in this study is a quantitative correlational method. Correlation research is research that aims to determine whether there is a relationship between two or more variables. In this study, data processing was carried out using SPSS version 25.0. The sample of this research was 177 students from class of 2017, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo. Research data collection techniques using a questionnaire. Analysis prerequisite tests include normality tests, linearity tests, and multicollinearity tests. Hypothesis testing includes simple regression analysis. The results of the study show: There is a significant effect of online learning on the employability skills of students of the Faculty of Engineering, State University of Gorontalo by 2.8%.

Development of Employability Skills of Vocational School Students in Bogor, Indonesia

Career development is one of the important things that need to be done at every level of education so that students gain career maturity. One of the components in developing career maturity is Employability skills. Employability skills are a set of skills that are important for individuals to have to survive in a job. Vocational Schools in Indonesia, commonly called SMK, aim to graduate individuals ready to work. Therefore, SMK graduate needs to master employability skills. This study aimed to determine the effect of the employability skills program on vocational school students. The research was conducted at a state vocational school at Bogor with a weak experimental method and involved six students as samples. The research results indicate that the employability skills program can improve the employability skills of vocational students. This research implies that employability skills training can be applied in schools to help students master employability skills.

Impact of Perceived Value of Internship on the Employability Skills of Students at University Level

Internships are a great opportunity for university students to engage in job-relevant activities and enhance their chances of employability. The purpose of thecurrent study was to explore the relationship betweenthe perceived value of internships and the employability skills of the students. The target population for this quantitative study comprisedgraduate level students fromthe government universities of Lahore, Pakistan. This study used a cross-sectional survey design. Its sample was based on 291 students selected through convenience sampling from fouruniversities in Lahore. The data wascollected through a self-administered andclosed-ended questionnaire.Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, independent sample t-test,and one-way ANOVA test. The results of the correlation betweenthe perceived value of internship and employability skills showeda significant positive correlation between them (p<0.001).The independent sample t-testshowed that the students with higher CGPA performed better in the workplace as compared to the students with lower CGPA.The results of One-wayANOVA test indicated that the students of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Information Technology(IT) performed better in terms of acquiring employability skills as compared to the banking, finance, and marketing students.These skills are essential for job employment.It is recommended that future research studies should be conducted in other areas of experiential learning. These studieswould help to emphasizethe importance of internshipsin relationto employability skills that are directly linked to the students'job opportunities.

Development of Employability Skills of Hospitality Students through Interactive Multimedia Approaches at Medan Tourism Polytechnics

The article aims to analyze how to develop employability skills for Medan tourism polytechnic students through a multimedia system approach at the Medan tourism polytechnic. By interviewing several academics at the Medan Polytechnic tourism Department, we have obtained valuable data, including how academicians prepare students to develop their working skills in the hospitality world with a technological approach. We designed this study qualitatively with semi-structured interviews and reviewed secondary data. We finally got some valuable input. The coordinators and lecturers of the Medan Tourism Polytechnic have developed the abilities of their students who are ready to enter the world of a career in the future. The skills they prepared include, for example, being flexible workers, having industry awareness then, having attention to detail skills, time management, interpersonal skills and communication skills, and so on. Hopefully, these findings will become input for developing help studies and labeling skills for future students. Keywords: Employability Skills, Multimedia Interactive, Multimedia Approaches

Online Learning for Enhancing Employability Skills in Higher Education Students: The Mediating Role Of Learning Analytics

Online Learning for Enhancing Employability Skills in Higher Education Students: The Mediating Role Of Learning Analytics

Project-based learning in biomedical sciences: using the collaborative creation of revision resources to consolidate knowledge, promote cohort identity and develop transferable skills

ABSTRACT Project-based learning (PBL) has been found to deepen learning and develop employability skills for students through active engagement with the learning materials. Foundation, first and second year Biomedical Science students at the University of Sussex were introduced to a PBL exercise. Each class had an approximate student to staff ratio of eighty to two. Students were put into groups of four to five and asked to create a revision guide for a disease system, which was then shared among the cohort for exam preparation. Students were later surveyed on the effectiveness of this group activity. 74% indicated the activity helped them integrate knowledge from previous modules, with the majority of the students scoring the activity 4 out of 5 for consolidation of knowledge. 75% of the participants who took part before the pandemic indicated that the tasks enabled them to build a cohort identity, with 59% students feeling similarly during the pandemic. Additionally, we qualitatively assessed the development of transferrable skills, such as teamwork, effective communication and time management. The results of the questionnaire suggested that students were able to gain these skills. This paper outlines the study, discusses benefits and limitations, and provides potential solutions for the future.