DOI: 10.7763/IPEDR. 2014. V70. 21

Career Development Learning and Employability Skills of Students in

Information and Communication Technology

Roberto T. Diamante

John Paul II College of Davao

Abstract. The study was carried out to determine the influence of career development learning on the employability skills of ICT students utilizing non-experimental quantitative research design employing descriptive-correlational method. The data were collected through universal sampling from 115 students taking computer studies in John Paul II College of Davao using adapted close-ended questionnaire with five-point Likert’s scale. The statistics used to find the significance of the relationship between independent and

dependent variables is Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Multiple Regressions was employed to identify which among the domains of the independent variable best predicts the dependent variable. The findings disclosed that the extents of career development learning of students as well as the level of their employability skills were moderate and significant relationship of these variables existed. Further, there is confirmation that career development learning is predictor of employability skills. This means that by providing students with extensive support on career development learning, the higher is their chance of attaining employable skills as a measure of global employment.

Keywords: Career Development Learning, Employability Skills, ICT Students, Likert’s Scale, Davao City.

1. Introduction

Career development learning and raising employability skills have emerged as an area for attention to improve the transition from full-time education into employment [1]. In contrast, Bivand [2] averred that education system does not supply enough people who are equipped with the skills that they need on job entry. The commissioned research study of Purdon [3] provided evidences that demand for new skills is not matched by supply, leading to an emerging skills deficit and insufficient employability skills. In the Philippines, even though the country imposes the use of English as the medium of instruction and provides job-enrichment programs, its graduates still lack communication and other employability skills [4]. In Davao City, Cempron, et al. [5] found that there is a mismatch between the level of the human resources and the extent of need of the call center and IT outsourcing sectors, in terms of employability (soft) skills and non-technical attributes. These problematic situations prompted the researcher to investigate the plausible causes or factors that would predict the employability skills of students in Information and Communication Technology. Thus, making this institutional research as a welcome feat to students and a good fit to higher education environment. The formulated research objectives are as follows:

To describe the extent of career development learning and the level of employability skills of ICT students.

To determine the degree of association of career development learning on the employability skills of ICT students.

To determine the degree of influence of the domain of career development learning on the domains of employability skills of ICT students.

The research objectives are converted into null hypotheses and they are tested @ .05 Level of Significance.

Ho1 There is no significant relationship between career developments learning on the employability skills of ICT students.

Corresponding author. Tel.: + (082) 297-5586. E-mail address: diamz_rtd888@yahoo.com.

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Ho2 There is no domain of career development learning significantly influence on the domains of employability skills of ICT students.

2. Methodology

The study employed non-experimental quantitative research design utilizing descriptive-correlational technique. Quantitative methods attempt to maximize objectivity, replicability, and generalizibility of findings, and are typically interested in prediction [6]. The respondents were 115 3rd

year and 4th year

students, adopting universal sampling. The researcher adopted the research instrument from two sources. For career development learning, the source was Association of Careers Advisory Services [7]. For employability skills, the researcher adopted it from the framework of the Department of Education, Victoria, Australia [8]. A five-point Likert’s scale was sued in determining the descriptive level of the variables. The mean, standard deviation, Pearson (r) and regression were the statistical used for data treatment and analysis.

3. Results

3.1. Extent of career development learning

Table1: Extent of Career Development Learning of ICT Students

Domain

Mean

Descriptive Level

Self Awareness

3.24

Moderately Extensive

Opportunity Awareness

3.33

Moderately Extensive

Decision Making

3.37

Moderately Extensive

Transition Learning

3.20

Moderately Extensive

Overall

3.28

Moderately Extensive

As reflected in Table 1, the career development learning of students is moderately extensive. It could be noted that the computed mean ratings fall between 2.50-3.49 with descriptive equivalent of moderately extensive. This means that the ICT students are still in the developing stage of understanding the significant bearing of Self- Awareness, Opportunity Awareness, Decision Making, and Transition Learning to their future career. The moderate result is supplemented by the remarks of the Millennial Branding Company [9] which stated that students

are not

aggressively preparing for their post-college careers. This is

the reason why students are struggling to find jobs because they fail to develop their careers while in college. Parrallel to the idea of Daggette [10] who indicated

that in reality, too few students are prepared for college or a career, and even fewer are prepared for both. Students need the appropriate skills and knowledge for higher education. They also need to know how to apply relevant skills and knowledge in an increasingly sophisticated workforce.

3.2.

Level of employability skills

As shown in Table 2, the result indicated moderate level for the employability skills of ICT students. All domains are within the range of 2.50-3.49 or qualitatively described as moderate. This connotes that ICT students are lacking of sufficient degree of proficiency in applying knowledge and understanding of transferable skills as requirement for their future job entry. The moderate result is allied to the viewpoint of Kantrowitz [11]

who stressed

out that insufficient preparation gives students a sense of not belonging and a deficit in their own perspectives

as academic beings when it comes to the skills most needed by employers. He observed that students are lacking most in written and oral communication skills, adaptability and

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managing multiple priorities, and making decisions and problem solving. Also, Robinson [12] denoted that students are being ill-prepared to apply the transferable skills to their work is the fact that students often fail to realize the importance of possessing transferable skills.

Table 2: Level of Employability Skills of ICT Students

Domain

Mean

Descriptive Level

Communication

3.20

Moderate

Teamwork

3.16

Moderate

Problem Solving

2.94

Moderate

Initiative and Enterprise

2.95

Moderate

Planning and Organizing

2.99

Moderate

Self-Management

3.35

Moderate

Learning

3.36

Moderate

Technology

3.46

Moderate

Overall

3.18

Moderate

3.3.

Correlation between variables

Table 3: Correlation between Career Development Learning and Employability Skills

Employability

Skills

Career Development Learning

SA

OA

DM

TL

Overall

Communication

.480*

(.000)

.508*

(.000)

.558*

(.000)

.682*

(.000)

.637*

(.000)

Teamwork

.022

(.854)

.135

(.252)

.038

(.749)

.165

(.160)

.106

(.369)

Problem Solving

.532*

(.000)

.482*

(.000)

.638*

(.000)

.598*

(.000)

.641*

(.000)

Initiative and Enterprise

.473*

(.000)

.518*

(.000)

.567*

(.000)

.648*

(.000)

.631*

(.000)

Planning and Organizing

.402*

(.000)

.460*

(.000)

.601*

(.000)

.527*

(.000)

.527*

(.000)

Self-Management

.502*

(.000)

.583*

(.000)

.644*

(.000)

.700*

(.000)

.696*

(.000)

Learning

.587*

(.000)

.627*

(.000)

.668*

(.000)

.649*

(.000)

.722*

(.000)

Technology

.629*

(.000)

.682*

(.000)

.662*

(.000)

.755*

(.000)

.778*

(.000)

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Overall .619*(.000)

.682*(.000)

.747*(.000)

.811*(.000)

.818*(.000)

Legend: SA – Self Awareness; OA – Opportunity Awareness; DM – Decision Making; TL – Transition Learning*Significant at p<.05

From Table 3, the correlation between career development learning and employability skills bear significant relationship because the probability

value of .000 (p<.05) lower than .05. This implies that career development learning is a function of employability skills. This connotes further that the higher career development learning of students

will apparently increases their employability skills. Evidently, the result that there is significant relationship between career development learning and employability skills supports the theory of Gottfredson [13] which states that career development is a process requiring a high level of cognitive proficiency. He viewed career development as a self-creation process in which individuals looked for avenues or niches to express their employability proclivities within the boundaries of their own cultural environment.

3.4.

Influence of career development learning and employability skills

Table 4: Regression Analysis on Career Development Learning and Employability

Predictor

Variable

ß Coefficient

t-value

p

value

Career Development Learning

Self Awareness

.088

.945

.348

Opportunity Awareness

-.020

-.178

.859

Decision Making

.322

3.121

.003*

Transition Learning

.540

5.216

.000*

R2= .719 F= 44. 205 p-value = .000

The regression in Table 4 shows the computed R-value of .848 and R2 value of .719 with adjusted R2

of .703 and standard error of the estimate equivalent to .26317. The adjusted R2 value of .703 is evident that career development learning influences the employability skills by 70.3%. The difference of 29.7% is accredited to other factors not covered

in the current study. However, the

ANOVA model shows the computed F-value of 44.205 with the corresponding probability value of .000 lower than .05 level of significance, then the null hypothesis that there is no domain of career development learning best predict the employability skills is rejected in favor to the alternative hypothesis that there is domain of career development learning best predict the employability skills.

To elaborate further the details of the results based on the coefficients table, the indicator Self-Awareness

is not predictor of employability skills with coefficient of .088, t-value of .945 and probability value of .348. In the same manner, the indicator Opportunity Awareness is likewise not a predictor of employability skills with coefficient of -.020, t-value of -.178 and probability value of .859. Nevertheless, the indicators Decision-Making and Transition Learning are considered as best predictors of employability skills. Decision-Making has coefficient of .322, t-value of 3.121 and probability value of .003. While Transition Learning has

coefficient of .540, t-value of 5.216 and probability value of .000. Thus, the higher the coefficient values have in Decision-Making and Transition Learning the greater their impact on the employability skills of students in ICT.

4.

Discussion and Conclusion

The results of this study show moderate career development learning and employability skills. This purports that the underlying concepts, observations and principles of some authors presented earlier in this

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paper are legitimate. Hence, this study affords concrete stand for higher echelon in this institution to find reasonable initiatives for the development of ICT platforms by consulting higher education stakeholders including renowned colleges and universities for Center of Excellence in ICT Education, business and industry to review and identify best practices for integrating, developing, teaching, assessing and reporting career development learning as a function and influential factor of employability skills. In this good judgment, it is fitting that academic leaders initiate by engaging business sectors and industries in crafting of

a best practice framework of new curricular activities and programs in computer studies. The articulation of curriculum mapping in computer studies enable the curriculum implementers to attune teaching approaches for digital learners and to refine teaching philosophy which contribute to the overall goals of providing quality education to students package with attributes on employable skills, technical knowledge, and student’s lifelong capacity to act as a professional, responsible citizen and research-oriented learner.

5.

Acknowledgment

This research study was funded

by John Paul II College of Davao, Davao City, Philippines.

6.

References

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