Article Gold Open Access 2024

Dimensions of program relevance towards employment success: Evidence from a graduate tracer study using principal component analysis

Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability
Journal · Vol. 15 · Issue 1 · pp. 205-224
Abstract

In this paper, the researchers use data from the tracer study to characterize the graduate's employment profile, assess the perceived contribution of the program to their personal and professional growth, evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the delivery of the graduate program, and explore significant dimensions of curricular program relevance toward employment success. Tracer studies are common in higher education to evaluate, using relevant metrics, the effectiveness of the curricular programs. The researchers employed a crosssectional research design and analyzed the results from a tracer study conducted in a Philippine state university among its graduates in the Master in Management program from 2020-2022 using descriptive, open-coding, and principal component analysis techniques. The results revealed that pursuing graduate studies enhanced graduate's employment opportunities. The effective delivery of the graduate program contributes to the personal and professional growth of the graduates. Developing the graduate's personal skills is shaped by many factors encompassing people, problem-solving, information technology skills, meeting present and future professional needs, exposure to the local and international communities within the field of specialisation, critical thinking skills, salary improvement and promotion, and personality development. Improving the graduates' professional skills entails a strong foundation in the academic profession, research capability, learning efficiency, and communication skills. Indeed, the professional and personal growth of the graduates are the critical dimensions of curricular relevance. The graduates give a premium on the aspects of the curriculum that lead to their personal and professional development. © 2024 Deakin University. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Personal Growth principal component analysis professional growth Graduate tracer study curricular delivery effectiveness curricular relevance employment success program relevance

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
College of Business and Management, Southern Leyte State University, Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines
College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Southern Leyte State University, Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
1 Ahmad, Tashfeen, Proposing student support model for postgraduate research education, World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 17, 1, pp. 125-139, (2021)
2 Albina, Albert C., Employability tracer study of Information Technology Education graduates from a state university in the Philippines, Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 2, 1, (2020)
3 Alvarez, Ma Teresa S., Employment trend of graduates of bachelor of science in business administration major in marketing of the college of business, accountancy and public administration, isabela state university, Journal of Critical Reviews, 7, 11, pp. 313-317, (2020)
4 Amani, Jaquiline, Understanding the Motives for Pursuing Postgraduate Studies and Causes of Late Completion: Supervisors and Supervisees’ Experiences, SAGE Open, 12, 3, (2022)
5 Baird, Anthony M., Employers’ ratings of importance of skills and competencies college graduates need to get hired: Evidence from the New England region of USA, Education and Training, 61, 5, pp. 622-634, (2019)
6 Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, (1954)
7 Human Capital A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, (1964)
8 Leaders the Strategies for Taking Charge, (1985)
9 International Journal of Finance Research, (2021)
10 Brieger, Earl William, Connecting theory and practice: reviewing six learning theories to inform online instruction, European Journal of Training and Development, 44, 4-5, pp. 321-339, (2020)
Quick Actions
Full Text via DOI
Citation Metrics
4
Times Cited (Scopus)

References 10
Document Identifiers