Article 2024

Testing a graduateness and employability skills model through the use of social media: findings from South Africa

Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning
Journal · Vol. 15 · Issue 7 · pp. 33-47
Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the influence of social media use on graduateness and the employability of exit students in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The study used quantitative and descriptive research designs to test the proposed hypotheses. An online survey was used to collect the data from a study sample. A sample of 411 respondents was received, with structural equation modelling (SEM) being used to assess the model fit. Findings: The study found that the direct effect of social media use on graduateness skills is significant. Secondly, the direct effect of graduateness skills on perceived employability is also significant. The results also showed existence of support for the mediation of graduateness skills on the relationship between social media use and perceived employability. Research limitations/implications: The study provides empirical evidence to the proposed model and infers the potential role of social media in addressing issues related to graduateness and the employability of exit students. Practical implications: In addressing the challenge of unemployment, the use of social media can potentially aid in matters of skills acquisition. Originality/value: The results demonstrate how technology through the use of social media potentially fits within enhancing graduateness and employability skills. © 2024, Obrain Tinashe Murire, Liezel Cilliers and Willie Chinyamurindi.

Keywords

Author Keywords

youth unemployment social media access to higher education

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Walter Sisulu University, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Department of Information Systems, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Department of Business Management, University of Fort Hare, Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
References 10 References
1 Social Media Should Be Viewed with an Eye for Employability Students Social Media Usage Affects their Chances of Finding A Job After Graduation, (2018)
2 Historically Disadvantaged Institutions Presentation for Norwegian Partnership for Global Academic Cooperation Norpart, (2021)
3 Benson, Vladlena, Social career management: Social media and employability skills gap, Computers in Human Behavior, 30, pp. 519-525, (2014)
4 Blayone, Todd J.B., Exploring technology attitudes and personal–cultural orientations as student readiness factors for digitalised work, Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning, 11, 3, pp. 649-671, (2021)
5 Higher Education Evaluation and Development, (2022)
6 South African Journal of Higher Education, (2023)
7 Chinyamurindi, Willie Tafadzwa, “We need our own super heroes and their stories” – Towards decolonised teaching within the management sciences, South African Journal of Education, 43, 3, (2023)
8 Cilliers, Liezel, A study on students' acceptance of mobile phone use to seek health information in South Africa, Health information management : journal of the Health Information Management Association of Australia, 47, 2, pp. 59-69, (2018)
9 South African Journal of Information Management, (2019)
10 Developing Student Graduateness and Employability Issues Provocations Theory and Practical Guidelines, (2012)
Quick Actions
Full Text via DOI
Citation Metrics
1
Times Cited (Scopus)

References 10
Document Identifiers