Assessment of Employable Skills of Management Students in University of Cape Coast
Keywords:
Perception; Employable Skills and Management Studies
Abstract
Graduate employability has become a rising concern among stakeholders. The study assessed final year management students’ level of employable skills in University of Cape Coast, Ghana, to determine whether they were able to acquire the required employable skills by the end of their study. The study adopted a quantitative approach to research and descriptive survey research design to find out the perceptions of supervisors and employees regarding the employable skills that are important for management graduates and thereafter measured the level of importance the students attached to those employable skills and their self-perceived level of possession of those employable skills. Proportionate stratified sampling technique was adopted. In all, 64 supervisors, 64 employees and 89 final year management students responded to the survey. Data were collected using questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Mean, standard deviation and Mann- U test were used to analyse the data. The study found that both supervisors and employees attached a high level of importance to the employable skills even though there was a statistically significant difference in perceptions between the supervisors and students. The study also found that the students’ level of possession of those skills was high. The study concluded that the management students’ level of employable skills was high. Stronger partnerships between academia and industry geared towards curriculum development to further enhance students’ employability was recommended.
References
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Muijs, D. (2004). Validity, reliability and generalizability. Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS, 64-84.
Muyako, S., & Seedwell T. (2015). Quality in accounting graduates: employer expectations of the graduate skills in the Bachelor of Accounting degree. European Scientific Journal, 11(22), 165-180
Nesaratnam, S., Karan, S. P. & Von, F. Y (2018). Conceptualisation of a Graduate Employability Framework from a Malaysian Perspective. Journal of Human Resource Studies, 8(4). 112-135
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
Omar, M. K., Bakar, A. K., & Rashid, A. M. (2012). Employability skill acquisition among Malaysian community college students. Journal of Social Sciences, 8(3), 472.
Orji, N. S. (2013). Assessment of employability skills development opportunities for senior secondary school chemistry students. Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 1(2), 16-26
Osuala, E.C., (2004). Principles and Methods of Business and Computer Education. Enugu state, Enugu: Cheston Agency Ltd.
Rahi, S. (2017). Research design and methods: A systematic review of research paradigms, sampling issues and instruments development. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 6(2), 1-5.
Reddy, M. C. (2019). Employability in Higher Education: Problems and Prospectives. South Asian Research Journal of Business and Management,1(3), 4
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Segbenya, M., Oppong, N. Y., & Baafi-Frimpong, S. A. (2021). The role of national service in enhancing employability skills of tertiary graduates in Ghana: a case of national service personnel in the Central Region. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07- 2020-0162
Selvadurai, S., Choy, E. A., & Maros, M. (2012). Generic skills of prospective graduates from the employers’ perspectives. Asian Social Science, 8(12), 295-303.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834-1847.
Towers-Clark, J. (2015). Undergraduate accounting students: prepared for the workplace?. Journal of International Education In Business, 8(1), 37-48.
Wickramasinghe, V. and Perera, L. (2010). Graduates’, university lecturers’ and employers’ perception towards employability skills. Education + Training, 52(3), 225-244.
Williams, S., Hesketh, A. J., & Brown, P. (2003). Employability in a knowledge-driven economy. Journal of education and work, 16(2), 107-126.
Wongnaa, C. A., & Boachie, W. K. (2018). Perception and adoption of competency-based training by academics in Ghana. International journal of STEM education, 5(1), 1-13.
Workforce Development Agency (WDA), Singapore (2006). Employers’ guide to the Singapore employability skills system and appraisal of workers for training. Singapore.
Abdullahi, A. (2002). Business education, technology and national development. Book of reading in Business education, 1(2), 1-5.
Akpor-Robaro, M.O.M. (2018). Problems and challenges of management practice in emerging economies: An explanatory commentary on African context with emphasis on Nigeria. Khartoum University Journal of Management Studies, 11(2), 15-23.
Analoui, F., & Hosseini, M. H. (2001). Management education and increased managerial effectiveness. Journal of Management Development, 20(9), 785-794.
Awayiga, J. Y., Onumah, J. M. & Tsameny, M. (2010). Knowledge and skills development of accounting graduates: The perceptions of graduates and employers in Ghana. Accounting Education. An International Journal, 19(1-2), 139-158.
Baah-Boateng, W., & Twum, E. K. (2020). Insufficient exposure to actual world of work impedes graduates’ employability: The case of Ghana. Africa in Focus.https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-
Becker, G. S. (2009). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. University of Chicago press.
Boateng, K., & Ofori-Sarpong, E. (2002). An analytical study of the labour market for tertiary graduates in Ghana. World Bank/National Council for Tertiary Education and National Accreditation Board Project Report, 278200-1099079877269.
Brock, S. E., McAliney, P. J., Ma, C. H., & Sen, A. (2017). Toward more practical measurement of teamwork skills. Journal of workplace learning, 29(2), 124-133.
Buarki, H., Hepworth, M., & Murray, I. (2011). ICT skills and employability needs at the LIS programme, Kuwait: a literature review: New Library World
Castillo, R. C. (2014). Employability skills of graduating business and accounting students of Batangas State University. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research, 13(1), 303-315.
Chaturvedi. A., Yadav. A. K., & Bajpai. S. (2011). Communicative Approach to Soft & Hard Skills. VSRD-IJBMR, 1(1). 1-6.
Council for Industry and Higher Education (2008). Graduate Employability: What do Employers Think and Want? (W. Archer and J. Davison, Eds). London: Author.
Crayford, J. Fearon, C. McLaughlin, H., & Van Vuuren, W. (2012). Affirming entrepreneurial education: learning, employability and personal development, Industrial and Commercial Training, 44(4), 187–193.
Damoah, O. B. O., Peprah, A. A., & Brefo, K. O. (2021). Does higher education equip graduate students with the employability skills employers require? The perceptions of employers in Ghana. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 1-14.
Ekpoh, U. (2015). Assessing students’ employability skills in Universities in South-South Nigeria. Proceedings from 8th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation. Seville, Spain: Research Gate
Fraenkel, J.R. & Wallen, N.E. (2000). How to design and evaluate research in education (4th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Garwood, R. (2012). Supporting the underperforming manager: Teaching the soft skills that can make all the difference. Human Resource Management International Digest, 20(1), 39-42.
Geel, M. (2015). An investigation into the employability skills of undergraduate Business Management students (Doctoral dissertation).
Hillage, J. & Pollard, E. (1998). Employability: Developing a framework for policy analysis. London: DfEE
Hu, J., & Liden, R. (2011). Antecedents of team potency and team effectiveness: An examination of goal and process clarity and servant leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 851-862.
Jovinia, D., Ab Rahim, B. &Shmsiah, M. (2014). Factors influencing the acquisition of employability skills by students of selected Technical Secondary School in Malaysia. International Education Studies, 7(2). 117-124
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and psychological measurement, 30(3), 607-610.
Krishnan, V. R. (2008). Impact of MBA education on students’ values: Two longitudinal studies. Journal of Business Ethics, 83(2), 233-246.
Lameck, W. U. (2013). Sampling design, validity and reliability in general social survey. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3(7), 212.
Leedy, P. D. & Ormrod, J. E. (2013). The nature of tools and research. Practical research: Planning and design 1, 1-26.
Lisa, E., Henelova, K. & Newman, D (2019). Comparison between employers’ and students’ expectations in respect of employability skills of university graduates. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 20(1), 71-82
Martyn, M. A. (2005). Using interaction in online discussion boards. Educause Quarterly, 28(4), 61.
Mascle, D. D. (2013). Writing self-efficacy and written communication skills. Business Communication Quarterly, 76(2), 216-225
Mascle, D. D. (2013). Writing self-efficacy and written communication skills. Business Communication Quarterly, 76(2), 216-225
McIlveen, Peter. (2018). Defining employability for the new era of work: A submission to The Senate Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers. 10.13140/RG.2.2.23333.60646.
Mintzberg, H. (2003). Managers, not MBAs: A hard look at the soft practice of managing and management development. Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591-609.
Muijs, D. (2004). Validity, reliability and generalizability. Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS, 64-84.
Muyako, S., & Seedwell T. (2015). Quality in accounting graduates: employer expectations of the graduate skills in the Bachelor of Accounting degree. European Scientific Journal, 11(22), 165-180
Nesaratnam, S., Karan, S. P. & Von, F. Y (2018). Conceptualisation of a Graduate Employability Framework from a Malaysian Perspective. Journal of Human Resource Studies, 8(4). 112-135
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
Omar, M. K., Bakar, A. K., & Rashid, A. M. (2012). Employability skill acquisition among Malaysian community college students. Journal of Social Sciences, 8(3), 472.
Orji, N. S. (2013). Assessment of employability skills development opportunities for senior secondary school chemistry students. Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 1(2), 16-26
Osuala, E.C., (2004). Principles and Methods of Business and Computer Education. Enugu state, Enugu: Cheston Agency Ltd.
Rahi, S. (2017). Research design and methods: A systematic review of research paradigms, sampling issues and instruments development. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 6(2), 1-5.
Reddy, M. C. (2019). Employability in Higher Education: Problems and Prospectives. South Asian Research Journal of Business and Management,1(3), 4
Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. The American economic review, 1-17.
Segbenya, M., Oppong, N. Y., & Baafi-Frimpong, S. A. (2021). The role of national service in enhancing employability skills of tertiary graduates in Ghana: a case of national service personnel in the Central Region. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07- 2020-0162
Selvadurai, S., Choy, E. A., & Maros, M. (2012). Generic skills of prospective graduates from the employers’ perspectives. Asian Social Science, 8(12), 295-303.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834-1847.
Towers-Clark, J. (2015). Undergraduate accounting students: prepared for the workplace?. Journal of International Education In Business, 8(1), 37-48.
Wickramasinghe, V. and Perera, L. (2010). Graduates’, university lecturers’ and employers’ perception towards employability skills. Education + Training, 52(3), 225-244.
Williams, S., Hesketh, A. J., & Brown, P. (2003). Employability in a knowledge-driven economy. Journal of education and work, 16(2), 107-126.
Wongnaa, C. A., & Boachie, W. K. (2018). Perception and adoption of competency-based training by academics in Ghana. International journal of STEM education, 5(1), 1-13.
Workforce Development Agency (WDA), Singapore (2006). Employers’ guide to the Singapore employability skills system and appraisal of workers for training. Singapore.
Published
2022-08-16
How to Cite
J. C, S., & N., A. (2022). Assessment of Employable Skills of Management Students in University of Cape Coast. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 5(8), 175-195. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v5i8.547
Section
Main Articles
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