Article Gold Open Access 2025

Mapping SDGs’ 4 and 8 through enhancing technological skills for students’ employability and establishing a software professional employability skills development program

International Journal of Data and Network Science
Journal · Vol. 9 · Issue 1 · pp. 57-76
Abstract

The purpose of this study is to: (1) evaluate the technological skills of the final-year undergraduate students, (2) how such abilities influence their likelihood of getting employed and (3) student opinions on whether a computer lab-based specialization in software training can boost employability. This study is a survey-based methodology. The sample size encompasses 140 final year students in the College of Business Administration at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University during the academic year 2023-2024. Descriptive statistical analyses indicate that most students believe they have sufficient technical skills but not enough for securing better jobs. Moreover, it is clear among them that expertise in specialized software packages enhances career prospects significantly. The research results also show a huge gap between technological competencies learners have now and what employers demand currently. In response, this study suggests that PSAU should establish software laboratories in their colleges for specialized training on software as required by the job market and workplace. The Vice Rectorate for Academic and Educational Affairs launches a program called “Graduate and Professional Skills Development Program (PSAU-GPSDP)”, which emphasizes student employability as it develops, implements, and evaluates mechanisms to enhance students’ chances of getting jobs upon graduation. The results of this study are in line with SDG No. 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG No. 4 (Quality Education), and Saudi Vision 2030. Therefore, this study has practical implications for decision-makers at the Ministry of Education and university levels, university professors, researchers on how employability skills of students could be enhanced in the higher education institutions. © 2025 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada.

Keywords

Author Keywords

employability PSAU PSAU-GPSDP Saudi Arabia SDGs 8 & 4 Software lab Technological skills

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Department of Accounting, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Riyad, Saudi Arabia
Department of Management, Nahda College, Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
Department of Accounting, Hadhramout University of Science and Technology, Mukalla, Yemen
Department of Commerce and Business Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
Funding & Acknowledgements
Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, PSAU
Grant: PSAU/2023/SDG/92
This project is sponsored by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) as part of funding for its SDG Roadmap Research Funding Program Project number PSAU/2023/SDG/92.
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