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Chapter 1

I. Background of Study

Employability is about work and the ability to be employed, such as the ability to gain

initial employment; hence the interest in ensuring that ‗key skills‘, careers advice and an

understanding about the world of work are embedded in the education system, the ability to

maintain employment and make ‗transitions‘ between jobs and roles within the same

organization to meet new job requirements, and the ability to obtain new employment if required,

i.e. to be independent in the labor market by being willing and able to manage their own

employment transitions between and within organizations. It is also, ideally, about the quality of

such work or employment. People may be able to obtain work but it may be below their level of

skill, or in low paid, undesirable or unsustainable jobs, and so forth. The capacity and capability

of gaining and maintaining productive work over the period of one's working life

(Hind and Moss, 2011).

In an academic institution, graduating students are considered potential workforce who

will fill-up the competitive corporate world now-a-days, relying on the level of readiness they

have acquired from the schools on the academic knowledge and more importantly the

employability skills possessed. Higher employment because of the high demand of information

technology in all spheres of work regardless of the type of business and services the enterprise is

engaged with.

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The changing nature of today's employment picture is creating, new challenges for

employers and employees alike. Employers, faced with a shrinking labor pool, are encountering

many applicants who have minimum job competencies. From these applicants, they must select

or hire those who have the greatest potential for meeting job demands. Conversely, the jobs for

which employers are hiring today require workers to have a broader range of competencies than

ever before--competencies that are job specific but also include the kinds of management and

organizational skills previously required only for supervisors.

In a global glimpse, employers, universities and professional bodies agree that in

Australia, education institutions need to develop professionals who are highly skilled and ready

to face the challenges of increased competition. More than ever we need professionals who are

responsive to economic, social, cultural, technical and environmental change and can work

flexibly and intelligently across business contexts. Australian industry requires new graduates

who understand the part they play in building their organizations, and have the practical skills to

work effectively in their roles (Precision Consultancy, 2007, p. 1).

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

(UNESCAP) explained that in developing Asian economies like the Philippines, college

graduates particularly find it harder to get jobs. It is noted in Sri Lanka the probability of being

unemployed is much higher among those with a university or post-graduation degree. ―In the

Philippines the incidence of unemployment also tends to increase with the number of years of

education‖ it added.

This is evident in the latest Labor Force Survey which showed that while more than

400,000 students graduate from tertiary educational institutions each year, the number of

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employed professionals in the Philippines grew by only 31,000 to 1.414 million as of January

2006 from 1.383 million a year earlier (dela Cruz, Manila Standard Today, 2006).

College graduates‘ skills do not fit available job vacancies, apparently the reason we have

a high unemployment rate. With this situation, an official of the Department of Labor and

Employment (DOLE) expressed concern that many of the graduates do not satisfy the industry

needs.

Evelyn Dacumus, officer-in-charge in labor market information, research and career

guidance advocacy division of the Bureau of Labor and Employment (BLE), said local and

overseas employers continue to grumble over lack of employable graduates even with plenty of

job vacancies. This is because most of our graduates lack the development of their employability

skills (Mamanglu, Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., 2010).

Employability, academic values and good learning are all interconnected and entirely

compatible with one another. Nowadays, employers are concern in hiring good workers and

training them. The competition is very stiff; human resources managers have a preference in

hiring applicants with the skills needed for the job, trained and ready to go for work.

Broad admission to higher education has raised the numbers competing for graduate

level-jobs. Whether students were admitted to a technical vocational or bachelor‘s degree course,

they need employability skills to gain initial employment and maintaining employment (Bishop,

John, and Lankard, Bettina, 1987).

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The measures to attain employability skills start when an individual is still in the learning

process. This can be through advanced curriculum that could complete the criteria as required in

the job market that could guide and assist students to face challenges and to secure employment

for them.

A pioneering institution in information technology which is mainly operating in the

Philippines with over two hundred branches nationwide and international, the AMA Computer

College (AMACC) in Davao City has already produced several graduates who were now

deployed both in the homefront and overseas. A number of them are enjoying high paid job

assignments and fast promotion in their respective workplace. Moreover, institution‘s

commitment of empowering the individuals who are the graduating students of Information

Technology towards realizing a better employment is in the hands of the institution‘s

stakeholders.

Hence, the researchers are determined to study the employability skills among AMACC-

Davao graduating students as a basis for recommendations of the institution‘s academic

instructions and methodologies thru: a) appropriate intra-school and inter-school non-academic

affairs; b) trainings; c) exposures; and d) job placements in its pursuit of providing excellent

education and job readiness to the students.

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Statement of the Problems:

The main purpose of this study is to know the employability of AMACC-Davao

Information Technology graduating students. The employment attributes possessed and expertise

in education and skills relative to the entry level of employability will also be examined.

Specifically, this study sought to attain answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the AMACC-Davao Information Technology graduating

students.

2. What are the employment attributes possessed by the AMACC-Davao Information

Technology graduating students in terms of:

2.1 personal qualities

2.2 core skills

2.3 subject knowledge

3. What is the level of expertise of the AMACC-Davao Information Technology

graduating students in terms of:

3.1 knowledge

3.2 skills

4. Do the level of expertise and employment attributes significantly influence the

gaining of initial employment?

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Objectives of the Study:

1. To determine the AMACC-Davao Information Technology graduating students

profile.

2. To identify the employment attributes possessed by the AMACC-Davao

Information Technology graduating students in terms of:

2.1 personal qualities

2.2 core skills

2.3 subject knowledge.

3. To know the level of expertise of the AMACC-Davao Information Technology

graduating students in the areas of:

3.1 skills

3.2 knowledge

4. To ascertain the influence of level of expertise and employment attributes in

gaining initial employment of the AMACC-Davao Information Technology graduating students.

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Significance of the Study:

Academic Department.

To evolve an in-depth study that deals with the ability of the AMACC-Davao

Information Technology graduating students in gaining initial employment based on the level of

expertise and employment attributes is significant to the Academic Department particularly the

educators‘ pedagogical content and approaches, hence, it directly contributes and affects their

employment readiness.

School Administrators.

The study is noteworthy to the school administrators since the findings will help them

having a comprehensive guide for reviewing and evaluating the course curriculum in relation to

the labor market updates and demand.

Guidance Counselor.

The guidance counselor‘s office of this institution will benefit from this study since the

behavior; attitude, and discipline of the students are part of this research. It is imperative for the

guidance counselor to know the general character of the students for career guidance advocacy,

more importantly with the graduating students who will become the future workforce of the

society and the institution‘s image builders.

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Admission and Placement Officer.

A blueprint material will be a result of this research material which is important for the

Admission and Placement Offices for benchmarking of the graduating students capability in

landing a job among the prospective companies.

Corporate partners.

Results of this study will be relevant for academic institution‘s corporate partners for it

will provide baseline data about the graduating students‘ employability skills for their job

matching.

Scope and Limitations:

The study covers only the Information Technology graduating students of AMACC-

Davao, since this has the highest number of students enrolled and graduates every year. This is

one of the flagship courses of the AMA Computer College.

Specifically, the study considered only the Information Technology graduating students

for the School-Year 2011-2012 for easy access of the respondents.

Given the three levels of employment entries, the researchers have concentrated in its

scope of employment entry with the gaining of initial employment as an applicable entry point of

respondents since they are neophyte in job seeking. The other two entries are only appropriate

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for those who are already working and are seeking maintenance of their employment status,

while the third employment entry level is more on workers who have gained wider experience

and longer years of work exposition and seek new opportunity for employment.

Basically, the study covers only those graduating students in the Information Technology

who have undergone the on-the-job training as having experienced the basic understanding of

work demand, work pressures and work behavior.

Definition of Terms

There are various terminologies that this paper has used to present a holistic and

comprehensive view about the study. For better understanding about these terms, the following

are defined as used in the study:

Core skills - are group of skills that are key to learning and employers

have identified as those that are most likely to be needed in any

work environment.

Employability - refers to a person‘s capability of gaining initial

employment.

Employment attributes - qualities of a person that employers look when assessing

prospective employees.

Gaining initial employment - to secure preliminary employment entry as neophyte in

the corporate world.

Knowledge - learning concepts, principles and information regarding a

particular subject by a person through books, media,

encyclopedias, academic institutions and other sources.

Level of expertise - the scaling of skills and knowledge of a person which

determines if one is equipped with the needed

competencies in a working environment.

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Personal qualities - personal characteristics of an individual that employers

would like a good worker to have.

Skills - refers to the ability of using information and applying it

in a context. Successfully applying theory in practice and

getting expected results.

Subject knowledge - refers to the capacity of a person‘s learning and

awareness in a particular knowledge.

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Related Studies

The study of Stuart Rosenberg, 1999 Department of Management and Marketing Leon

Hess Business School, Monmouth University, cited that students enter college with the

expectation that they will acquire the knowledge, the skills, and the abilities to enter the

workforce. Graduates expect that they will have acquired the skills necessary to perform their

jobs and advance their careers. In the modern knowledge economy, employers have an

expectation that a college education will provide graduates with the employability skills required

to perform their jobs (Bok, 2006). Cappelli (2008) indicated the following: the talent problems of

employers, employees, and the broader society are intertwined. Employers want the skills they

need when they need them, delivered in a manner they can afford. Employees want prospects for

advancement and control over their careers.

Cappelli (2008) examined in his study that the attitudes of graduates, faculty, and human

resource managers regarding (a) the basic employability skills that are needed for job

performance, (b) the extent to which those skills are received in college, (c) whether the need

exists for additional training in the skills after graduation, and (d) how these skills predict career

advancement potential. This first article describes the prevalent attitudes toward the various basic

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employability skills. The second article will examine how basic employability skills predict

career advancement potential using structural equation modeling.

On the otherhand, another study had revisited the scrutiny of the employability skills

through the 2007 report of the National Center on education and the Economy entitled Tough

Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American

Workforce, which was based on two years of comprehensive research indicated that ―the core

problem emphasized that our education and training systems were built for another era, an era in

which workers needed only rudimentary education‖.

Significant confusion existed concerning employability skills was a common thread in

much of the relevant literature of the last dozen years. Nunan (1999) indicated that students

expected employers to recognize their academic degree as one that certified them with the skills

needed for job performance. Rosenbaum (2002) stated that if students do not learn basic

employability skills before they are hired, then they may not have the opportunity to learn them

on the job since employers may be reluctant to invest in the resources needed to provide which

might also not provide them a better opportunity to enter into an initial level of employment.

In addition, the study of Bok (2006) reported that college professors and administrators

felt they were teaching students what they need to know, although only 35% of a sample of

industry executives thought that colleges taught students what was important to succeed at work.

He indicated that ―it is worth asking whether faculties themselves are not partially to blame by

permitting a certain laxity to become entrenched on many campuses‖. In addition, Bok cited

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grade inflation and the tolerance for late work as causes for the lack of self-discipline that

employers complained about. Robst (2007) stated that college students believed that a college

education provided them with all the skills necessary to obtain employment upon graduation.

Moreover, He emphasized that more generalist, basic transferable employability skills provided

workers the ability to enter the workforce, to perform jobs, to advance careers within a company,

and to change jobs within and across industries.

Clearly, employers may also require proficiency in job-specific specialist skills, which

have a limited shelf life due to the rate of change in technology (Gush, 1996). As a result,

employers are likely to consider employability skills to be more valuable than specialist skills

(California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2007).

The education system has come under increasing scrutiny. The Partnership for 21st

Century Skills (2005) found that assessment of student achievement is driven by knowledge of

facts and not the ability to apply knowledge with critical thinking and problem solving skills

needed in the modern workplace. The outcome therefore is a continuing gap between the skills

students acquire in school and the skills needed to enter the workforce and perform their jobs.

Duzer (2006) observed that the education system, with its foundation in 19th century structure

and a linear pedagogical process, does not have the ability to meet the needs of today‘s global

economy. In a 2009 personal communication with the former Harvard University president,

Derek Bok, he suggested that post-secondary institutions face internal conflicts that affect

student achievement in basic employability skills. Among these are that college faculty do not

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consider the teaching of basic employability skills to be part of their curricula and that faculty

simply may not consider themselves to be qualified to teach basic employability skills.

Bracey (2006) suggested that if it is difficult to know what skills are required by industry,

then it is equally difficult to determine if there is a gap between what skills are needed and

received from employees. Those employers have not clearly stated the skills and capabilities they

desire, and the U.S. educational system is not producing the quantity and quality of graduates

needed. Understanding what employers need is imperative for making useful recommendations

or changes to U.S. education policy and curriculum in order to produce graduates that are well

equipped in the workplace.

Based on the literature, the gap among employers, educators, and students has continued,

and possibly widened. For the purposes of this study, then, it is important to more fully define

what constitutes basic employability skills.

Basic Literacy and Numeracy Skills are defined in the SCANS report as the ability to

read, write, speak, listen, and perform basic mathematical procedures. Reading skills include the

ability to interpret written information. Writing skills include the ability to communicate

thoughts in letters and reports. Mathematical skills include the ability to solve practical problems

through the use of a variety of mathematical techniques.

Critical Thinking Skills include the ability to think creatively, make decisions, and solve

problems (SCANS, 1991).

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Leadership Skills include the ability to motivate others to achieve organizational goals

(Schermerhorn, 2008). Typical characteristics of effective leadership are responsibility, self-

esteem, and the ethical qualities of integrity and honesty.

Management Skills include the activities of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling

to meet organizational goals (Schermerhorn, 2008).

Interpersonal Skills include the ability to work in teams, help others to learn, provide

customer service, and negotiate agreements, resolve differences, and work in a multicultural

organization (SCANS, 1991).

Information Technology Skills include the ability to select procedures, equipment, and

tools to acquire and evaluate data (SCANS, 1991).

Systems Thinking Skills include the ability to understand and operate within social,

organizational, and technological systems. Designing and suggesting modifications to systems

and explaining the interaction of systems in the context of the global economy are elements of

systems thinking (Senge, 2000).

Work Ethic refers to an individual‘s disposition toward work and it includes attendance,

punctuality, motivation, the ability to meet deadlines, patience, attitude, dependability,

professionalism, and realistic expectations of job requirements and career advancement.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2009

report, work ethic is not an actual skill; however, employers that responded to this study

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responded that, with the exception of communication skills, work ethic was the competency most

lacking in recent graduates.

Several researchers, including Rosenbaum (2002), Bracey (2007), and Carnevale, Gainer,

Meltzer, and Holland (2008), have observed that employers described work habits as being more

important than academic skills. Rosenbaum suggested that ―it is these skills that are sometimes

considered to be the best predictors of job performance‖ (p. 10). Bracey criticized the emphasis

on academic achievement in the 2002 No Child Left Behind legislation for suppressing student

creativity. He also cited Chester E. Finn, Jr., president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation,

who argued that ―requiring schools and teachers to focus on test results in basic academic skills

negatively affects students‘ abilities to develop the other skills that are central to the nat ion‘s

competitive advantage‖.

According to Brown, Hesketh and Williams (2003), employers urge college graduates to

be more social and creative in the workplace. Andelt et al. (1997) indicated that communication

skills such as the ability to listen and speak clearly are also very important to employers. Some

other employability skills important to employers include the ability to supervise, coordinate,

manage conflict, have a clear vision, be creative, innovate, adapt to change, lifelong learner, and

motivate (Brashears, 1995; Evers et al., 1998; Rainbird, 2000). Since employability skills is very

important to industry leaders, their studies intend to investigate the self-perceived level of

competence at performing employability skills necessary for careers in the hospitality industry

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Related Literature

The two greatest concerns of employers today are finding good workers and training

them. The difference between the skills needed on the job and those possessed by applicants,

sometimes called the skills-gap, is of real concern to human resource managers and business

owners looking to hire competent employees. While employers would prefer to hire people who

are trained and ready to go to work, they are usually willing to provide the specialized, job-

specific training necessary for those lacking such skills.

Most discussions concerning today‘s workforce eventually turn to employability skills.

Finding workers who have employability or job readiness skills that help them fit into and

remain in the work environment is a real problem. Employers need reliable, responsible workers

who can solve problems and who have the social skills and attitudes to work together with other

workers. Creativity, once a trait avoided by employers who used a cookie cutter system, is now

prized among employers who are trying to create the empowered, high performance workforce

needed for competitiveness in today‘s marketplace.

Employees with these skills are in demand and are considered valuable human capital

assets to companies. Employability skills are those basic skills necessary for getting, keeping,

and doing well on a job. These are the skills, attitudes and actions that enable workers to get

along with their fellow workers and supervisors and to make sound, critical decisions. Unlike

occupational or technical skills, employability skills are generic in nature rather than job specific

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and cut across all industry types, business sizes, and job levels from the entry-level worker to the

senior-most position.

Community Resource Development home page at wwwaces.edu/department

Job readiness skills are clustered into three skill sets: basic academic skills, higher order

thinking skills, personal qualities. Employability skills are those basic skills necessary for

getting, keeping, and doing well on a job. Employability skills are teachable skills.

Highlights

Activities both during and after school, including sports, enjoyed during youth help

prepare for jobs. Employability skills, necessary for getting, keeping, and doing well on a job?

Employability skills, while categorized in many different ways, are generally divided into

three skill sets: (a) basic academic skills, (b) higher-order thinking skills and (c) personal

qualities. The three skill sets are typically broken down into more detailed skill sets. Although

the academic skill level required by some entry-level jobs may be low, basic academic skills are

still essential for high job performance. Ideally, new hires will have the ability and will want to

learn. They also need the ability to listen to and read instructions and then to carry out those

instructions.

When asked for information, these individuals should be able to respond appropriately

both orally and in writing, including recording and relaying information. Reading ability includes

comprehending what has been read and using a variety of written materials, including graphs,

charts, tables and displays. Entry level employees also need the ability to complete basic math

computations accurately.

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What is even more important to job success than having good basic academic skills is

having good higher-order thinking skills. The ability to think, reason, and make sound decisions

is crucial for employees desiring to do well and advance. A person who can think critically, act

logically, and evaluate situations to make decisions and solve problems, is a valuable asset.

Application of higher order thinking skills in the use of technology, instruments, tools and

information systems takes these higher order skills to a new level making the employee even

more valuable. Employers will usually try to help valued employees seek and get more advanced

training, thus widening the gap between those with higher order skills and those possessing basic

academic skills alone.

Employers deeply concerned with personal skills? Because in most jobs, it is difficult to

utilize workers effectively who lack personal skills. Entry-level employees with good personal

skills have confidence in themselves and deal with others honestly and openly, displaying respect

for themselves, their co-workers, and their supervisors regardless of other people‘s diversity and

individual differences. They view themselves as a part of a team and are willing to work within

the culture of the group. They have a positive attitude and take the initiative to learn new things

to get the job done. Rather than blaming others when things go wrong, they are accountable for

their actions. They also have the ability to set goals and priorities in their work and personal lives

so that resources of time, money and other resources may be conserved and managed. These

individuals practice good personal habits, come to work as scheduled, on time and dressed

appropriately, and are agreeable to change when necessary.

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Failure to equip young people with the job readiness skills critical to job success is

equivalent to placing employability barriers in their reading, writing, science, math, oral

communication, listening, learning, reasoning, thinking creatively, decisions making, problem

solving, responsible, self confidence, self control, social skills, honest, have integrity, adaptable

and flexible, team spirit, punctual and efficient, self directed, good work attitude, well groomed,

cooperative, self motivated, self management

Employability Skills

Taken from ―Building a Foundation for Tomorrow‖, Skills Standards for Information

Technology published by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (Copyright

1999) is the highlight of the study in relation to employment skills.

Input from industry clearly shows that without a solid mastery of foundation or

employability skills employees cannot succeed in the highly competitive environment of today‘s

technology companies. Employers often say that: ―Technical skills may get you the job, but

foundation skills will make you a valued employee and will significantly increase career

advancement.‖

Even though many training and educational programs concentrate primarily on technical

skills and knowledge, employer‘s concerns often focus on foundation skills rather than on

technical skills. Employers are looking for people who display the right attitude, who display

good customer service skills, and who exercise effective communication skills.

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When considering prospective employees for a new position, employers often ask: ―Do

they have good work ethics? Are they good team players? Do they like to learn? Can they show

initiative and make good decisions?‖

What are employability skills? Employability skills are referred to as foundation, ―soft‖

or process skills, are skills that support a civil respectful and efficient workplace. Employability

skills include the following:

Communication Skills. Effective information flow throughout the organization is a critical

element to organizational success. Communication with team members, supervisors, and

subordinates, customers and clients and between different groups needs to be timely and

appropriate. Some jobs rely more heavily on written communication, while others on verbal

communication. Electronic communication (email) is rapidly becoming ubiquitous, bringing a

new set of rules and practices to business communication. Communication in high technology

organizations takes on many forms- from informal to formal presentations, from technical logs to

complex reports and proposals. No matter the form, communication is the key to individual and

team effectiveness.

Organizational Skills. As employees are asked to handle more parallel tasks with increased

levels of complexity, good organizational skills become very important. Depending on the job,

the complexity of the organizational task may vary from scheduling to prioritizing multiple tasks

or requests, to planning and tracking complex and capital-intensive projects involving many

people and teams. Regardless of the size of the project, the ability to identify and define tasks, to

track milestones, to recognize when a project timeline is running into problems, and to take

appropriate action is crucial to ongoing success in technical jobs.

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Team Contribution and Leadership. Most organizations are relying increasingly on teams top

accomplish projects. This is particularly true in high-tech environments where the success of

projects depends on the contribution of many individuals with varied expertise. The ability to

work with team members with different backgrounds and diverse communication styles is highly

valued and rewarded in most environments. In many organizations, flexible or ―flat‖

organizational structures require employees to take on different team roles, from listeners, to

active contributors to team leaders. The ability to read the team needs as a whole and the needs

of individual team members, and to adjust one‘s role to increase team effectiveness is a critical

factor to the success of the team process.

Professionalism. Dealing with problematic employee issues, attitudes and behaviors consumes

much time in any organization, and can be very detrimental to overall morale. Employees with

good work ethics, who show up on time, who understand and follow company procedures, and

who relate to coworkers and customers with respect are those more often selected for positions

with increased levels of responsibilities and rewards. On the other hand, lack of professionalism

can often lead to declining morale, dissatisfied customers or clients, and ultimately to an

employee‘s dismissal.

Critical Thinking and Decision Making. As organizations become leaner in management,

employees are expected to assume increased responsibilities. Employee‘s ability to correctly

analyze situations, understand tradeoffs, make good recommendations and make the right

choices is often rewarded with increased freedom to self-manage, and with the opportunity to

engage in more interesting and challenging projects. Deciding when to take action, when to

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delegate, and when to elevate certain issues to a higher decision level are skills that promote trust

and respect supervisors and coworkers.

Customer Relations. Customers can take many faces. Internal customers can be the department

down the hall of an offshore division. External customers can be suppliers, clients, or end users.

The ability to solicit and listen to company feedback and to effectively address company issues

and concerns is required to qualify for certain positions, such as technical support jobs. Customer

interaction skills are necessary in all jobs whether or not the job description formally includes

―customer relations.‖

Self-Directed and Continuous Learning. In the high technology industry, and in particular in

the information technology environment, technologies and practices change rapidly and

sometimes radically. To keep up with the technology changes employees need to continuously

engage in self-assessment against the technological landscape of skills and knowledge, and take

proactive steps toward enrolling in continuous training. However, it is often seen as the

employee‘s responsibility to identify gaps in knowledge and take actions to fill these gaps.

How can one learn foundation skills? Most professional/technical and academic programs

include some requirement for the practice of foundation skills. However, many lack the emphasis

that employers would like to see. Being aware of the importance of such skills can help students

and employees enroll in programs that emphasize the use, practice and coaching of foundation

skills in the learning process, class activities and projects.

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Educators must be aware of the importance of these skills to the long-term success of

graduates, and provide ample opportunity for holistic and contextual practice as well as authentic

assessment.

Work-based learning is one of the most available forms of training, yet often the most

overlooked. Participating in special projects and cross-functional activities often enables

employees to exercise organizational and communication skills that will benefit their overall

performance and effectiveness. Community involvement can be another way to develop

foundation skills in a low-pressure environment.

No matter how or where effective interpersonal, organizational, professional and learning

skills are developed, the mastery of such skills will significantly impact the ability to

successfully move within and between careers. These skills will provide a wider choice of

projects and responsibilities, resulting in more job satisfaction and increased opportunity for

advancement. This does not imply that technical skills are not important; however, technical

expertise alone does not guarantee success. Employees‘ technical skills are critical and are

expected to match the required level for the job. However, someone with a solid foundation of

learning abilities and technical abilities can easily acquire further technical training to refine and

enhance their expertise. Foundation skills on the other hand, often take longer to acquire and

master, and changes in attitude are often even more difficult.

Many supervisors do not feel adequately prepared to coach employees on their

interpersonal skills. As a result they rely heavily on schools to provide solid training in the

foundation skills area, and put a large emphasis in recruiting employees who already display

proficiency in such skills. Schools are often the ideal place for students to learn to integrate

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foundation skills with technical knowledge, since they can provide low risk contextual learning

opportunities. Many technical graduates are ―produced‖ each year. However, the primary critical

factor to job effectiveness and career mobility in today‘s environment is to develop, demonstrate

and sustain proficiency in both technical and employability skills.

Employability is conceptualized as a form of work specific active adaptability that

enables workers to identify and realize career opportunities. As such, employability facilitates

the movement between jobs, both within and between organizations. Although employability

does not assure actual employment, we contend that it enhances an individual‘s likelihood of

gaining employment. An individual is employable to the extent that he or she can parlay person

factors effectively to negotiate environmental demands (Chan, 2000).

Hillage and Pollard‘s (1998) widely-cited definition of employability as an individual's

ability to gain initial employment, maintain employment, move between roles within the same

organization, obtain new employment if required and (ideally) secure suitable and sufficiently

fulfilling work.

Yorke and Knight (2004 a) suggest that it is: a set of achievements – skills,

understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment

and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the community and the

economy . They offer further options in their subsequent publication (2004 b), where they

suggest that employability is also: Getting a (graduate) job, a consequence of ‗having‘ key skills,

a likely effect of having had good work experience, a mix of cognitive and non- cognitive

achievements and representations.

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Employability is the acquisition of attributes (knowledge, skills, and abilities) that make

graduates more likely to be successful in their chosen occupations (whether paid employment or

not). Employability usually refers to the employment of graduates but this includes self-

employment.

A broader definition includes any lifestyle choice, or refers to employability as the

development of abilities to ensure graduates are critical life-long learners. There is a narrow

alternative approach, once popular, especially with policy makers but now less used, which was

to define employability as the proportion of graduates, from an institution that were employed

within a specified period after graduation.

Harvey (2003) notes: Employability is not just about getting a job. Conversely, just

because a student is on a vocational course does not mean that somehow employability is

automatic. Employability is more than about developing attributes, techniques or experience just

to enable a student to get a job, or to progress within a current career. It is about learning and the

emphasis is less on ‗employ‘ and more on ‗ability‘. In essence, the emphasis is on developing

critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner.

Employability is a psycho-social construct that embodies individual characteristics that

foster adaptive cognition, behavior, and affect, and enhance the individual-work interface.

Hall & Mirvis (1995), emphasized the major shift in responsibility for career

management and development from employers to employees. In short, the onus is on employees

to acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) valued by current

and prospective employers. Accordingly, the component dimensions comprising the construct of

27

employability predispose individuals to improve their situations (pro) actively (cf. Seibert,

Kraimer, & Crant, 2001) and to be malleable over time—‗‗changeable‘‘—in order to meet the

demands of the environment (Chan, 2000).

To explicate further, employability influences the adaptation requirements delineated by

Ashford and Taylor (1990). Regarding the first requirement, the identification and realization of

opportunities necessitates that employable individuals procure information regarding the

environment and one‘s personal qualifications (feedback). People attend to and act on

information that is relevant to salient career identities (Ashforth & Fugate, 2001; Berzonsky,

1990, 1992). As for the second requirement, employable people, by definition, possess a

collection of individual attributes necessary for effective adaptation—career identity, personal

adaptability, and social and human capital (each described later)—some of which subsume

individual characteristics suggested by Ashford and Taylor. For employable people, however,

career identities cognitively coherent these elements while providing energy and direction to

their influence? Pertaining to the third requirement, employability enhances alternatives, and

facilitates personal change and job changes. Employable people consider and pursue alternatives

consistent with their salient career identities (cf. Ashforth & Fugate, 2001), and are predisposed

to personal change (personal adaptability).

Heuristic Model of Employability

Employability has become a core part of the so-called ―new deal‖ between employer and

employee, in which the promise of employment security is said to be replaced by employability

(e.g. Fugate & Kinicki, 2008; Hallier, 2009). This evolution is accompanied by a major shift in

28

responsibility for career development from employers to employees. Employees are considered

responsible for acquiring knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics valued by current

and prospective employers (Fugate & Kinicki, 2008; Fugate, et al., 2004; Van der Heijde & Van

der Heijden, 2006). For individuals this implies a broader meaning of career success by pursuing

lifetime employability (Forrier & Sels, 2003), i.e. the continuous fulfilling, acquiring or creating

of work through the optimal use of one‘s competencies (Van der Heijde & Van der Heijden, Far

East Journal of Psychology and Business Vol. 1 No 1, December 2010 53 2006).

Employability can hence be regarded as an important factor in understanding career

success in the contemporary career era (Hall, 2002).

As organizations are increasingly focusing on managing employability instead of

employment security and steady career advancement, there is a need for further elaborating the

link between employability-enhancing initiatives, employees‘ employability, and career success.

New career concepts suggest that employability and career success depend on continuous

learning and being adaptable to new job demands or shifts in expertise (Scholarios, et al., 2008).

For employers this means that interventions are needed enabling employees to acquire these

qualities. The competency-based view on employability (Van der Heijde & Van der Heijden,

2006) offers a relevant perspective for studying this relationship.

According to Winch and Clarke (2003) the problem with ―short-termist‖ views of

employability lies in the failure to make a distinction between the tasks, firm and occupational

understandings of skill. Skill at a task is the ability to carry out that particular task. Skill in the

context of a firm is the ability to do a particular job as specified by the employer or by a contract

to carry out a commission. Skill at the level of an occupation, on the other hand, concerns that

29

ability or potential ability to fulfill all the tasks associated with or negotiated for an occupation.

Skill in an occupational sense entails significant transferability between different jobs. It is also

generally skill in this sense that is propagated by employees, it being in their interest to acquire

skills of a more long-term nature, to equip them over a working life, Employers on the other

hand, is more interested in skills in the task sense, for the immediate job in hand. (Winch and

Clarke 2003: 240).

Brennan et al (2001) found that graduates valued the following as employability skills:

working under pressure; oral communication skills; accuracy; time management; adaptability;

initiative; independent working skills; team working skills; taking responsibility and

organizational skills. Sometimes programs of study make these skills explicit, often however

they are left to float in the margins of what the module is about.

It is assumed by most policymakers that better working relationships between colleges

and employers will inevitably improve learner employability. In this vein, it is argued that ―every

opportunity to get employer contact needs to be exploited.‖ (Lanning, Martin and Villeneuve-

Smith 2008: 6).

Skill Development Models

First, there is a need to tie down what employability is construed to be. Bennett et al.

(2000) point out the terminological problems associated with ‗core‘ and ‗generic‘ skills, noting

interalia that what might be considered ‗core‘ in one disciplinary area might be considered to be

generic in another. They settled for using the term ‗core‘ for discipline specific skills, and

‗generic‘ to represent ‗the so-called transferable skills that can support study in any discipline‘.

30

The choice of terms, therefore, differs from commonplace usage in higher education. More

important for this guide is their identification of four management skills that can be applied

across a range of contexts: Management of self, Management of others, Management of

information, and Management of task.

USEM Employability Model (the academic view)

Yorke & Knight (2004) propounded USEM model. This model looks at what a graduate

should obtain from a degree course and take into the generic abilities: Efficacy beliefs (world of

employment), Understanding (appropriate subject knowledge, apprehension and applicability),

Skills (subject-specific awareness and understanding of one‘s self and one‘s abilities), and Meta-

cognition (the ability to reflect on and regulate one‘s own learning and behavior).

A Psycho-Social Model

A model that goes some way to addressing these issues has been developed by Fugate et

al. (2004). The elements are:

Career identity — this includes the components of self-awareness and career decision making

from DOTS, but goes much further. It relates to an individual‘s ability to reflect on their past

experiences in order to determine who they are and who they want to be. This inclusion of past,

present and future identity formation includes some aspects of the learning and development

approach of USEM.

Personal adaptability — this theme of development is continued here. To stay employable an

individual must be willing and able to transform themselves in response to changes in their

31

environment. This could include the willingness to learn new skills, to adapt one‘s job hunting

strategy to prevailing job market conditions, or even to reconsider one‘s goals in the face of

barriers.

Social and human capital — this element incorporates the impact of an individual‘s social

background and access to supportive networks. It also encompasses one‘s ability to successfully

develop and utilize working relationships through factors such as emotional intelligence. The

model emphasizes the interactions between these three elements. For example, social capital will

have an impact on career identity as your social network will shape and filter your career

choices. At the same time changing your career identity will involve changing the social

networks in which you operate eight skill areas were identified as pertinent to Supported

Employment through a review of exemplary supported employment programs and a needs

assessment of facilities and programs offering Supported Employment services (Pankowski,

1985; McDaniel & Flippo, 1986).

Employability Skills

Business Council of Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2002) identified

eight employability skills as follows:

Communication skills, which contribute to productive and harmonious relations between

employees and customers.

Teamwork skills, which contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes.

32

Problem-solving skills, which contribute to productive outcomes.

Initiative and enterprise skills, which contribute to innovative outcomes.

Planning and organizing skills, which contribute to long-term and short-term strategic

planning.

Self-management skills, which contribute to employee satisfaction and growth.

Learning skills, which contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and

company operations and outcomes.

Technology skills, which contribute to effective execution of tasks.

Features of Employability

Most young people leave school without the knowledge or foundation required to find

and retain a good job. Employers are not merely looking for graduates with technical knowledge

but also with non-technical abilities, i.e., their employability skills. Employability skills are those

attributes of employees other than technical competence that make them an asset to the

employer.

According to Sherer and Eadie (1987), ―Employability Skills are not job specific, but are

skills which cut horizontally across all industries and vertically across all jobs from entry level to

chief executive officer.‖

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These skills are also meant to describe the preparation or foundation skills upon which a

person must build job-specific skills (i.e. those being unique to specific jobs) like

communication, personal and interpersonal relationships, problem solving and management of

organizational processes.

The 88th session of the International Labour Conference held in 2000 adopted a

Resolution concerning Human Resources, Training and Development. This Resolution defines

employability skills as follows:

―It encompasses the skills, knowledge and competencies that enhance a worker‘s ability

to secure and retain a job, progress at work and cope with change, secure another job if

he/she so wishes or has been laid off and enter more easily into the labour market at

different periods of the life cycle. Individuals are most employable when they have

broad-based education and training, basic and portable high-level skills, including

teamwork, problem solving, information and communications technology (ICT) and

communication and language skills. This combination of skills enables them to adapt to

changes in the world of work.‖

The three features of employability are:

Broad-Based Education. Education should provide a solid foundation on which further

acquisition of knowledge, training and competencies can be developed. In fact, the system of

education at all levels, pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary will play a key role in

inculcating the right attitude to an individual.

34

Acquisition of basic and portable high level skills. The skills should not only be basic and

limited to an enterprise but should be portable so that the employee is mobile and can get a job

elsewhere. The skills should also be of a high standard that encourage upward mobility. This

high mobility can be attained through regular training.

Acquisition of knowledge. This can be achieved mainly through education, training and

information Technology. There is a need for constant recycling of knowledge in this information

age so that employees can be promoted, can adapt to change and can, in case of redundancy, find

another job.

Development of competencies. Employers do not rely solely on qualifications acquired at

educational institutions. They would like employees to have other qualities like teamwork,

problem solving, communication, interpersonal relationship and other skills.

Employability Skills and Competence

Employability attributes can be classified into three broad categories – basic skills, high-

order thinking skills and affective skills and traits.

BASIC SKILLS HIGH-ORDER THINKING SKILLS,

AFFECTIVE SKILLS AND TRAITS

Hence, the primary concern of employers lies in finding employees with a good work

ethic and appropriate social behaviour, i.e., reliable, good attitude, pleasant appearance and good

personality. It is clear that all the above reasons are not related only to academic qualifications.

Employers look often for other characteristics – employability skills.

35

The employer makes a systematic analysis of the academic qualifications and skills

required for the job as well as employability skills. For example, it is not sufficient to observe

that ―reading‖ is required for the job, one must know which tasks require reading and the type of

reading skills needed. He also lists the traits he is looking for in a new recruit.

The pattern of development of Mauritius has led to a dramatic transformation of the

economy as mentioned earlier. In the years ahead, this transformation will be further reinforced

with the development of the financial and business services and ICT. Even traditional

manufacturing industries have to introduce latest technology to be competitive and able to

produce quality products. There has been a shift in demand for different occupations.

Employers are increasingly looking for professionals and semi-professionals. While a

first degree may be the standard requirements, there is definitely a preference for people with

postgraduate qualifications especially in the light of the large number of Mauritians pursuing

postgraduate studies and in line with the economic development of the country. In sectors like IT

or Finance, a second degree may even be an essential requirement. Employers are also looking

for specialized qualifications. Students therefore must move towards a specialized master degree.

The Master degree does not only denote a higher degree of maturity but it also shows

exposure to practical work, project or research and development of analytical skills. Although

the student might not have worked, the research work or thesis provides concrete evidence of the

level attained by the student and his ability to apply knowledge in practice. In a sense, research

becomes a substitute for work experience.

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Although many employers require experience from new recruits, this is not necessarily a

general rule. Many employers will prefer fresh graduates who can be trained provided they have

the basic qualifications and the right attitudes to work. It is worth stating that employers are not

blindly looking for qualifications but for competence as well. It is idealistic to have all the

employability traits in an individual but the latter should be prepared to learn.

The new recruit should also have a positive attitude to continuous learning and in this

respect, many employers will provide the necessary training. The new recruit should show a keen

interest in his personal development and training.

In this information age, employers are also looking for employees who are computer

literate. IT is expected to pervade all fields of studies, occupations and the world of work. A fair

knowledge of IT or a relevant qualification in this field is essential. These employment

competence may attribute to oral communication, (speaking and listening), problem solving,

dependability/responsibility, reading ,especially understanding and following instructions

learning skills, strategies positive attitude towards work basic arithmetic creative, innovative

thinking conscientiousness, punctuality, efficiency writing decision making interpersonal

skills, cooperation, working as a team member self-confidence, positive self-image

adaptability, flexibility enthusiasm, motivation self-discipline, self-management appropriate

dress, grooming honesty, integrity ability to work without supervision (Dr. Daniel Coleman,

author of the Book ―Emotional Intelligence‖).

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What Employability Skills Managers Look For?

Coach, Job (1990). Cited that employability skills include: Self-management – readiness

to accept responsibility, flexibility, resilience, self-starting, appropriate assertiveness, time

management, readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning.

Teamworking – respecting others, co- operating, negotiating/persuading, and contributing to

discussions, and awareness of /interdependence with others. Business and customer awareness

– basic understanding of the key drivers for business success – including the importance of

innovation and taking calculated risks – and the need to provide customer satisfaction and build

customer loyalty. Problem solving – analysing facts and situations and applying creative

thinking to develop appropriate solutions. Communication and literacy – application of

literacy, the ability to produce clear, structured written work, and oral literacy – including

listening and questioning. Application of numeracy – manipulation of numbers, general

mathematical awareness and its application in practical contexts (e.g. measuring, weighing,

estimating and applying formulae). Application of information technology – basic IT skills,

including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, file management and use of internet

search engines. Underpinning all these attributes, the key foundation must be a positive attitude:

a ‗can-do‘ approach, a readiness to take part and contribute openness to new ideas and a drive to

make these happen. Frequently mentioned by both employers and universities is:

entrepreneurship/enterprise: broadly, an ability to demonstrate an innovative approach,

creativity, collaboration and risk taking.

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Important Employability Skills

Employability skills are defined as ―transferable core skill groups that represent essential

functional and enabling knowledge, skills and attitudes required by the 21st century workplace

necessary for career success at all levels of employment and for all levels of education‖

(Overtoom, 2000, p. 2). Robinson (2006) indicated that leadership skills, communication skills

and conflict management skills are some of the employability skills desired by employers. These

groups of skills are explored as follows: Employability skill, Ability to work independently,

Adapting to situations of change, Allocating time efficiently, Applying information to new or

broader contexts, Assessing long-term effect of decisions, Assigning and delegating

responsibility, Combining relevant information from a number of sources, Communicating ideas

verbally to groups, Conceptualizing a future for the company, Contributing to group problem

solving, Conveying information one-to-one, Coordinating the work of peers, Coordinating the

work of subordinates, Delegating work to peers, Delegating work to subordinates, Empathizing

with others, Establishing good rapport with subordinates, Establishing the critical events to be

completed, Functioning at an optional level of performance, Functioning well in stressful

situations, Gaining new knowledge from everyday experiences, Gaining new knowledge in areas

outside the immediate job, Giving direction and guidance to others, Identify problems,

Identifying essential components of the problem, Identifying political implications of the

decision to be made, Identifying potential negative outcomes when considering a risky venture

Identifying sources of conflict among people.

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The Developmental Progression of Expertise

The development of expertise involves a progression from a superficial and literal

understanding of problems (a qualitative mark of the cognition of novices) to an articulated,

conceptual, and principled understanding (a qualitative mark of the cognition of experts). The

accumulation of skill based on experience and practice are the key, not maturational processes or

time per se. Hence, two experts in a given domain can be of quite different ages, and it makes

more sense to speak of developmental levels than stages.

The distinction between ―novice‖ versus ―expert‖ implies that development can involve

both qualitative shifts and stabilizations in knowledge and performance. A number of

phenomena suggest the occurrence of level-like qualitative shifts (Adelson 1984; Gaeth 1980;

Phelps & Shanteau 1978; Spiro et al. 1989): (a) It is rare for a level to be skipped; (b) It is rare

for someone to either regress or to fail to progress, unless they fall out of practice; (c) Expert

teachers (or ―masters‖) can anticipate the errors a trainee will make depending on their skill

level; (d) With practice, a skill loses the quality of being conscious, effortful, deliberate, and

linear, and takes on the quality of automatic pattern recognition. In short, judgments become

―intuitions‖ in that one can rapidly and effortlessly associate experiences make decisions, or

perform actions (more on this later). Such phenomena indicate that stage-like qualitative shifts

are occurring as expertise develops.

In some domains, people who are regarded as ―novices‖ can actually be very highly

experienced. In the judging of livestock, one might remain a ―novice‖ even after as much as ten

years of experience at school and club training. Those who are regarded as ―experts‖ have 20 to

30 years of experience. Workers in such domains naturally distinguish their peers who are good,

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even very good, from the ―real‖ experts or what might be called the ―grand masters‖ (Shanteau

1984, 1988, 1989). Clearly, the two terms ―novice‖ and ―expert‖ leave much to be specified.

Additional distinctions on the continuum of development have been alluded to in the literature on

expertise (cf. Foley & Hart 1992), and, as are expressed by the terminology of the ―craft guilds‖

of the Middle Ages. These are the Naivette: One who is totally ignorant of a domain, Novice:

Literally, someone who is new—a probationary member. There has been some (―minimal‖)

exposure to the domain, Initiate: Literally, someone who has been through an initiation

ceremony—a novice who has begun introductory instruction, Apprentice: Literally, one who is

learning—a student undergoing a program of instruction beyond the introductory level?

Traditionally, the apprentice is immersed in the domain by living with and assisting someone at a

higher level. The length of an apprenticeship depends on the domain, ranging from about one to

12 years in the craft guilds immersed in the domain by living with and assisting someone at a

higher level., Journeyman: Literally, a person who can perform a day‘s labor unsupervised,

although working under orders; an experienced and reliable worker or one who has achieved a

level of competence. It is possible to remain at this level for life, Expert: The distinguished or

brilliant journeyman, highly regarded by peers, whose judgments are uncommonly accurate and

reliable, whose performance shows consummate skill and economy of effort, and who can deal

effectively with certain types of rare or ―tough‖ cases. Also, an expert is one who has special

skills or knowledge derived from extensive experience with sub-domains, Master: Traditionally,

a master is any journeyman or expert who is also qualified to teach those at a lower level.

Traditionally, a master is one of an elite group of experts whose judgments set the regulations,

standards, or ideals. Also, a master can be that expert who is regarded by the other experts as

being ―the‖ expert, or the ―real‖ expert, especially with regard to sub-domain knowledge.

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Knowledge Organization

Expert knowledge differs from novice knowledge in its organization as well as its extent.

That is, concepts are interrelated in meaningful ways and memories are concept-, context-, and

content-addressable (Chi et al. 1982; Glaser 1987; Lesgold 1984; Mandler 1967). Experts also

rely on conceptual categories that are principled (or more ―abstract‖) (Voss et al. 1983), and they

know that conceptually different problem types may nonetheless manifest the same features

(Murphy & Wright 1984).

Results from studies in which computer programmers comprehend and generate

programs (while thinking aloud) have shown that experts represent programs in terms of the

main processes that are needed to accomplish the goal of the program (Adelson 1981; Jeffries et

al. 1981; McKeithen et al. 1981). Experienced programmers are better able to identify bugs,

especially those that can be found only after a detailed conceptual understanding of program

function. Expert programmers recall a much greater amount of a program than initiates, even

after a short exposure, hypothetically because their memory organization falls at a more

conceptual level.

On-the-Job Training

Over the last several decades not much has changed in modern industrial training. Rose

(2003) stated that the skills required for modern manufacturing have been greater in today‘s high

technology industry than at any previous time. Unfortunately, training in the manufacturing

industry has still been badly neglected. The informal training has always been a part of the

transfer of skills from one worker to another. The necessity for new employees to be trained as

42

quickly as possible and ‗bring them up to speed‘ has almost always fallen on the supervisor

(Markham, 1967, p. 15). The most expedient method of training the new employee was to place

that individual with an employee who could perform the task in a satisfactory manner even

though the employee-trainer had little experience as a trainer. The trainer would facilitate the

knowledge and the new employee would satisfactorily learn the task through an on-the-job

training experience. Creth (1986, p.v) pointed out the benefits of on-the-job training: increase in

quality of work because of understanding of the process; - increase in quantity of work by

knowing how to resolve problems; - reduced need for close supervision because of the

increase in the employee‘s self efficiency; - confident, flexible staff with low turnover

because of ownership and feeling part of the organization; - high staff morale created by

team interaction where each team member has a vital role in success of the organization; - job

satisfaction from the culmination of producing a quality product, on time to meet customer

demand, at a cost that has been competitive and functioning with fellow workers to achieve

mutual goals.

Frick (1987) concluded that one of the attractions of OJT was to be a practical experience

as opposed to theoretical discussion. Practical knowledge was longer lasting and easier to learn

and retain than theoretical knowledge. OJT provided the new employee with the feeling of

importance of the task by placing responsibility to either succeed or fail with the company assets,

time and product. The practical aspect of OJT has been the relationship of new recruits to begin

work immediately and become productive faster (White, 1982). OJT has been one of the best

forms of training because it placed the employee in a learning situation to develop confidence

and a sense of productivity. Training has been applied to improve the skills to a higher level or

43

correct a skill deficiency. OJT has been used across the entire spectrum or employee

development from an entry level new employee to a mastery level competence (Frick, 1987).

Developing the OJT Steps

OJT has been developed in four distinct stages (Pulley, 2004). Stage I was to identify and create

a detailed breakdown of the skill requirements for a specific position and was called the job task

analysis. Stage II was the cognitive perspective of the adult learner. Stage III was the role of the

trainer in the OJT process and Stage IV was the evaluation of the OJT process and outcomes.

Stage I. Job Task Analysis. Developing a job task analysis required four steps: job process,

job description, recognized skills, and an effective curriculum (Mager & Beach, 1967). The first

step was to determine if the current process steps were the most efficient and achieved the

desired results that meet the state of the art for manufacturing in safety, quality and productivity.

Once the specific criterion for the most efficient operation had been met, the second step was to

write a job description.

The job description process has involved three functions: writing a general description of

the tasks performed, identifying the step by step job tasks, and listing the detail steps for each job

tasks (Mager & Beach, 1967). The job description has listed a general account of the person‘s

activity, the frequencies of motion and repetition, described the environment of the work station

and a description of the level of skills required to perform the task. Once the job description

(summary) was written, the job could be divided into tasks that identified the content of the job

description.

44

Mager and Beach (1967) described task analysis by discussing three phases of course

development. The first phase was preparation to identify the job detail steps and determine

prerequisite skills required to begin training. The second phase was determining the content,

sequence and lesson plan for the identified job training requirements. The third phase was

improvement to compare the performance of the training to the objectives and provide feedback

to improve the process.

The concept of a development model was to provide a step-by-step procedure to help the

trainer and student identify what the job consisted of in terms of tasks, performance, and

frequency. After the tasks descriptions have been identified, each task would be divided into

detail task steps that would describe the specific functions in focused elements. Mager and Beach

(1967) described the intent of the task description was to capture the divisions or categories that

described the structure of the job contingent. A good rule to verify the validity of the task

descriptions was to check to see if every aspect of the job description structure was being

identified by the task descriptions. In other words, does the task description stand alone and

contradict the other task descriptions or do they complement and add to each other to form a

cohesive summation of the content of the job description (Mager & Beach, 1967)? According to

Mager et al. (1967), there were three areas that needed to be identified with task listings in the

task description. The three were: the frequency or repetition of tasks, importance of the task in

relation to job function, and the task learning difficulty. Each has a rating scale that identified the

degree of difficulty or repetition.

45

The third step of job task analysis was to identify the skills needed to perform the

identified tasks. Basic skills have to be identified before job task analysis can be developed.

Mager et al. (1967) said, ―The strategy of developing effective instruction then is one that called

for performance orientation rather than subject matter orientation. The strategy is to use the job

as the basis for deciding what will be taught and in what order and depth, rather than simply to

present as much subject matter as possible in the allotted time‖ (p. 3). The process to identify or

describe the job began with a general description that presented a general summary of the overall

function of the job. The job description should list what was actually being performed, not what

should be performed or what the employee knew.

Stage II. Cognitive Perspective. The cognitive perspective of the adult learner was the

second stage for developing OJT. Akdere and Conceicao (2006) described cognitive perspective

as the focus of the adult learner on perception, insight and meaning. Cognitive perspective

portrayed the concept that the adult learner was not a passive system with stimuli being delivered

and an expected response leaves. Akdere and Conceicao (2006) concluded that thinking persons

have interpreted sensations and has given meaning to the events that affect their consciousness.

The locus of control has been the individual and not the learning environment. Cognitive

perspective has focused on three simultaneous processes: (1) acquisition of new information, (2)

transformation of the knowledge to their specific application, and (3) evaluation of the learning

process (Akdere & Conceicao, 2006).

Stage III. Role of the Trainer. Management has had the responsibility to provide

resources for training under the OJT system. The role of the trainer became paramount in helping

to expand the needed skills that the new employee must develop. Martyn and Webster (2005)

46

concluded that the trainers must encourage the OJT employee to take responsibility for

developing the competencies needed for the new job, express an effort to learn the skills and

demonstrate competency. The trainer and employee will have to conduct a self-assessment

through a gap analysis, to determine deficiencies in the required criteria for the task assignment

and the current knowledge base of the employee. The trainer has the role of mentor, the

employee as student.

Stage IV. Evaluation. Effective teaching has been emphasized as a means to transform

the OJT employee into an effective learner. Akdere and Conceicao (2006) described the fast

changing business environment where the individual learner and trainer must be strategically

linked with the technological changes and innovations of the organization. Effective trainers

would have to react and make changes relevant to the individual needs while synthesizing

individual efforts to meet common objectives. Best and Kahn (1993) identified checklists as the

simplest of the devices that identified a prepared list of behaviors or items that were relevant to

the task at hand. The presence or absence of the behavior was indicated by a yes or no with the

completion of the behavior being observed. The recording of the completed list has helped to

ensure the consideration of important aspects of the object or act observed. In the case of OJT,

the sequence of events that have been learned and also the observed performance of the

employee completing the assigned task have been an indication of the evaluation of the OJT

learning process. The OJT training checklist provided consistency in the materials presented

from trainer to trainer and student to student. The use of the paper and pencil written test has also

been used to determine competency of the OJT learner as a progression in the learning process.

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TYPES OF OJT:

Two different types of on-the-job training are frequently distinguished: structured

(planned) and unstructured (unplanned). Unstructured is the most common kind and refers to on-

the-job training programs that largely involve less experienced employee working with an

experienced employee, who serves as a guide or mentor during on the job training. The new

workers largely learn by trial and error with feedback and suggestions from experienced workers

or supervisors. Unstructured training is designed based on work requirements, not on imparting

job skilled needed by new workers. Consequently, unstructured on-the-job training often fails to

impart needed skills fully or consistently, because experienced employees sometimes are unable

to articulate clearly the proper methods for performing a job and they sometimes use different

training methods each time to train new workers.

In contrast, structured on-the-job training involves a program designed to teach new

workers what they must know and do in order to complete their tasks successfully. According to

William J. Rothwell and H.C. Kazanas in ―Improving On-the-Job Training‖, On-the-job training

represents a significant investment considering that roughly 30 percent of a new worker's time is

spent in on-the-job training during the first 90 days of employment, that productivity of

experienced workers assigned to train new workers may decrease during the training period, and

that new workers may make expensive mistakes or errors. Hence, it is the responsibility of

concerned process management of the company to design and implement systematic training

programs.

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Conceptual Framework:

This study is anchored on the conceptual framework in Figure 1 which shows the

modeling for gaining initial employment. The variables understudy are the employment

attributes and level of expertise.

Employment attributes which comprise the personal qualities; core skills and subject

knowledge are basic characteristics that a student will have to acquire while earning his

academic requirements in college. These attributes are believed to be learned in their general

education and civic education and are contributory in the readiness of the student in seeking for

initial employment which is to be complimented with the level of competencies in their field of

studies specifically in the aspect of knowledge and skills. The level of expertise measures the

mastery of the graduating students both in their understanding of their course and its applications

in the programming concentration, network management concentration, interactive media

concentration and information support and maintenance concentration.

49

Ho Employment attributes and level of expertise do not significantly influence the gaining of

initial employment.

Ha Employment attributes and level of expertise significantly influence the gaining of initial

employment.

Profile of the AMACC-

Davao Information

Technology Graduating

Students

Employment Attributes

A. Personal Qualities

B. Core Skills

C. Subject Knowledge

Level of Expertise

A. Knowledge

B. Skills

Entry in Gaining

Initial Employment

OJT

Performance

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

Figure 1

50

Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

This section of the study deals with the method used, the sources of the data, sampling

techniques, the data gathering instruments, the procedure of the study and statistical treatment of

the data.

Method Used

With the specific purpose of culling-out information on the acquired employment

qualities and the level of competencies, a descriptive method is used. This method permits the

researcher to evocatively measure the quality, degree and state of area being studied.

Sources of the Data

The sources of data considered in this research study are classified into primary and

secondary data. Both are essential in the conduct of this research since the quality of this

investigation lies on the participation of the primary data and the availability of the secondary

data.

Primary data of this study were taken from the questionnaires which are disseminated to

the graduating students of Information Technology. Informal interview to the respondents have

contributed essential data to the information they have filled-up in the three types of

questionnaires which were personally surveyed.

51

While the secondary data which helped quantify and qualify this research paper were

culled-out through books, manuals, magazines, journals, and dailies. Most of the updated

secondary data were generated from the international highway of information (Internet). Records

of the on-the-job trainees particularly the performance evaluation and rating have added relevant

information and helped the study judicious.

Data Gathering Instruments

The principal instrument used in drawing-out the primary data to support this study was

basically the three types of questionnaires namely: profile of the AMA Computer College-Davao

graduating students of Information Technology, employment attributes, and level of expertise in

terms of knowledge and skills.

Students‘ practicum performance ratings were also used as an instrument in gauging the

respondents‘ level of gaining initial employment.

Instruments were validated using the cronbach statistics with .21 results to measure the

consistency and reliability of the study.

In facilitating the instruments, the researchers have gathered the graduating students of

the Information Technology who were done with their on-the-job-training. To ascertain the

academic status of the respondents that would matched with our criteria such that the respondent

is a bonafide student of AMA Computer College, a graduating student of Information

Technology, and has completed the on-the-job development program, a thorough verification

was conducted to the school registrar, course/program head, practicum development program

52

coordinator and the supervisors of the different companies where the respondents were deployed

during their on-the-job-training.

The assembly of the respondents organized by the researchers which was immediately

took placed after the questionnaires were retrieved from was facilitated through a forum-

interview which has provided an avenue for the researchers to gather first hand data which

helped the researcher to make addendum of the respondents‘ insights, views and opinions that

also allows them in expounding their experiences and vouching the responses in the survey. The

forum-interview had aided the researchers in checking the validity of the data gathered in the

survey questionnaires.

The instruments in this study have used percentile, rank, and scaling as follows:

A. Employment Attributes

Point Descriptive Rating

1 Very Poor

2 Poor

3 Good

4 Very Good

5 Excellent

B. Level of Expertise

B.1 In Terms of Knowledge

Point Descriptive Rating

1 Not knowledgeable

2 Fairly knowledgeable

3 Moderately knowledgeable

4 Highly knowledgeable

5 Very highly knowledgeable

53

B.2 In Terms of Skills

Point Descriptive Rating

1 No capacity

2 Fair level of capacity

3 Moderate level of capacity

4 High level of capacity

5 Very high level of capacity

C. Gaining Initial Employment (OJT Grade)

Grade Range Descriptive Rating

75 - 79 Less likely employable

80 - 89 Highly employable

90 - 100 Very highly employable

Sampling Techniques

From one thousand two hundred bonafide students of AMA Computer College – Davao

for the school-year 2011-2012, the researchers have selected only the respondents who could

match with the criteria below using purposive sampling technique.

1. Bonafide enrollee of AMACC-Davao students of Information Technology.

2. Officially considered graduating students as verified by the school registrar.

3. Undergone the required four hundred eighty six (486) man-hours on-the-job training

as vouched by the practicum development program coordinator.

54

A stratified sampling technique was used to give focused to the students who are enrolled

in the flagship course of AMACC-Davao and are the future manpower pooling to most of the

enterprises which are highly information communication and technology based operations now-

a-days.

Procedure of the Study

Cautious procedural activities were undertaken to ensure judicious results and pursuit in

this research study. Below were the actions conducted which were considered contributory to the

accomplishment of the paper.

1. Conducted a simple students‘ life assessment of the graduating students of the

Information Technology and identified the primary concern of the institution to the respondents

as part of its post-service program – work deployment.

2. Generated survey questionnaires which reflect the relevant data needed to

contribute in the conduct of the study.

3. Disseminated the three types of survey questionnaires – profile of the

respondents, employment attributes and level of expertise to respondents during one of the

graduating students‘ forum.

55

4. Gathered the data, sorted, collated, tabulated, interpreted and analyzed carefully in

such a way that it has to conscientiously follow the acceptable research procedures.

5. Outlined analysis, conclusions and recommendations appropriate to the findings

of the study and conducted a forum with the respondents for the validation of the results of the

study.

Statistical Treatment

This study focuses on investing the graduating students of information technology of

AMA Computer College – Davao.

To give an overview about the respondents, a profiling was surveyed and tabulated

employing percentage and rank. Whereas, the employment attributes which are categorized

according to personal qualities, core skills and subject knowledge, the level of expertise which

were sub-divided into knowledge and skills were computed using mean to present the central

location of the data. The over-all mean results of each category were considered in determining

with significance of the study.

In order to test the significant of the model on the given data, an Omnibus test of model

was used. While the Model Chi-square (multinomial logistic algorithms) statistics was employed

to check the likelihood ratio test of the final model and reduced model at the p-value of .05.

56

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSES AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

A. Profile of AMACC-Davao Information Technology Graduating

Students

Table 1 pertains to the age bracket of the AMACC IT graduating students which shows

that 43 out of 76 numbers of respondents‘ ages 19 to 20 years shared a greater part with a

percentage of 58.21. The least number is allocated to ages 29 to 30 and over 30 years of age

which represents only 1 or 1.49% of the entire respondents.

Table 1 Age Bracket

Age Bracket Number of Respondents Percentage

19 - 20 43 58.21%

21 - 22 18 23.88%

23 - 24 5 5.97%

25 - 26 5 4.48%

27 - 28 3 4.48%

29 - 30 1 1.49%

Over 30 1 1.49%

TOTAL 76 100%

It evident in Table 1 that most of the graduating students of Information Technology in

AMACC-Davao are within their expected age bracket which means that these are full-time

students who were after their secondary education have proceeded in the collegiate course. In the

entire respondents, 23.88% comprised those who were either transferee from other school or

from other courses which explains why they have reached the age bracket which should have

been graduates in college supposedly. Only one respondent is in his thirty years of age while

57

considered graduating student and the principal reason for hindering the respondent to graduate

at the expected age in college was due to financial constraints and not because of the academic

performance.

Respondents‘ sex is indicated on table 2 which connotes that majority of the number of

respondents are male with 46 or 57% while female respondents are 30 or 43% of the data

collated.

Table 2 Respondents’ Sex

Sex Number of Respondents Percentage

Male 46 57%

Female 30 43%

TOTAL 76 100%

Information technology communication is dominantly male from the time it was

introduced in the Philippines because on the concept that this entails laborious demand which by

gender the female could not undertake. However, Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, a feminist activist

from the Philippines who has worked mainly on media, information and communication issues

said that information communication technology now-a-days is being swarmed by female. In

fact, most of the academic institutions that offer this course have now equal number of students

if not dominated by female. An indicator that more of the women today are active not only in the

designing but also in the programming and information policy making in the national, regional

and international levels even.

58

Table 3 outlined the highest percentage of 82.09, represented by the Davao Region

(Region 11) which implicates that most of the respondents are coming from the Davao region.

Northern Mindanao (Region 10) with 1 or 1.49% placed as the lowest percentage as to the region

of origin of the respondents.

Table 3 Region of Origin

Regions Number of

Respondents

Percentage

National Capital Region 3 4.48%

Cordillera Adm. Region

Ilocos Region (Region 1)

Cagayan Valley (Region 2)

Central Luzon (Region 3)

CALABAR Zone (Region 4 A)

MIMAROPA (Region 4 B)

Bicol Region (Region 5)

Western Visayas (Region 6)

Central Visayas (Region 7)

Eastern Visayas (Region 8)

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9)

Northern Mindanao (Region 10) 1 1.49%

Davao Region (Region 11) 63 82.09%

SOCSARGEN (Region 12) 6 7.46%

CARAGA Region (Region 13) 3 4.48%

ARMM

TOTAL 76 100%

Majority of the Information Technology graduating students of AMACC-Davao is from

Region XI in which most of them are from Davao City and few are from Davao del Norte and

Davao del Sur. Students from General Santos City and Cotabato City who would like to take up

the course will enroll in AMACC-Davao despite that there is a branch of AMA Computer

College in the mentioned cities because of the mentally that of the parents to send their children

to a distant school in order for their children to learn independently and the assumptions that the

59

metropolitan area that their children will be getting better exposures and be familiarized once

they seek for job after graduation.

Table 4 summarizes the level of education, type of academic institution and honors

achieved by the respondents. Most of the respondents during their pre-school level is spent in the

private academic institutions with 42 or 66% of them were in the public academic institutions

which represents 22 or 34% in the total number of respondents. During elementary level of

education, the highest percentage is 60% or 46 out of 76 which have schooled in the public

institutions and the remaining percentage of 40% or 30 out of 76 respondents have studied in

private institutions. Majority of the respondents have studied their secondary level of education

in the private institutions with 51 or 67% while fewer of them went to public institutions denoted

with 33%.

Table 4 Level of Education, Type of Academic Institution & Honors

Education

Level

Type of Academic Institution (Private / Public)

Honors,

Awards,

and

Citations

Percentage

Private Percentage Public Percentage

Pre-

School

42 66% 22 34% 9 14%

Primary 30 40% 45 60% 7 9%

Secondary 51 67% 25 33% 4 5%

Vocational 8 10%

Tertiary 76 100%

One notable trend in the education of the respondents is that their learning pattern and

education is more in private education institutions than in public. Practically, school‘s security,

60

and quality of teachers, facilities and environment are the factors that made parents to decide to

send their children to private schools as cited by the UNESCO study in 1999.

However, one of the most important though for the students to learn before entering to a

school whose primary objective is building the skills capability of the student is to take

vocational courses leading to the introduction in information communication technology perhaps

to provide him with an initial understanding of the course. By studying vocational course in

information communication technology before entering college will help the student to gauge

before entering to college if he is fitted for the course he will specialize rather than be caught on

shifting to various courses trying to fit into his attitude, capability and perspective in life at the

expense of lost of time and finances.

Illustrated on table 5 is the respondents‘ number of years spent in college which shows

that 52 or 68.65% mainly finished college between 3 ½ to 4 years. Few of the respondents

completed the degree more than 6 years, and 3 out of 76 respondents with 4.48% of the entire

respondents.

Table 5 Number of Years in College

Years in College Number of Respondents Percentage

3 ½ - 4 52 68.65%

4 ½ - 5 13 20.90%

5 ½ - 6 6 5.97%

More than 6 3 4.48%

TOTAL 76 100%

61

A bigger percentage among the respondents is within the expected year level of stay in

their college. This only shows that most of the respondents are keeping track of their academic

performance while staying in the school. Although there are graduating respondents who are

staying beyond five to six years which represent very minimal percentages, this can be accounted

to those respondents who have shifted course or have stopped for financial problem.

Among the trainings attended by the respondents, the IT skills and applications ranked

first as shown in table 6. These are the trainings that would enhance the level of expertise of the

graduating students as one of the factors in gaining initial employment. It also shows that

communication skills, personality development, leadership and career development ranked 4.5

which are also contributory in the development of skills for employment.

Table 6 Types of Trainings Attended

Types of Trainings Number of Trainings Percentage

IT Skills & Applications 24 1

Communication Skills 1 2.25

Personality Development 1 2.25

Leadership 1 2.25

Career Development 1 2.25

Research Methods 2 6.5

Outsourcing Global

Services

2 6.5

Students are encouraged to attend trainings and seminars that will bridge better

understanding of their field of specialization. Trainings and seminars especially hands-on drills

are very essential in the acquisition of skills to the students especially if the academic institution

geared in the technology education. It through training that they will have to get an in-depth

understanding and practice other than the classroom inputs since trainings are designed to

62

increase their confidence level in handling situations through actual operations. Most of the

Information and Technology skills and applications considered types are those offered by the

business processing outsourcing (BPO‘s) which are also partner organizations of the AMACC-

Davao in the practicum development program. The rest of the type of trainings are either

designed by the practicum program since the respondents are required to undertake skills

development at the minimum of two trainings while other trainings are called by the research

office of the AMACC-Davao because the respondents are taking thesis and should have research

seminars to deepen their understanding in conceptualizing and writing research works.

Table 6.1 shows that most of the respondents have attended the intermediate level of

information technology skills applications followed by the advance level and the basic level

respectively in the same type of training. On the otherhand, the basic training on outsourcing for

global services ranked fourth.

Table 6.1 Levels of Trainings Attended

Types of Trainings Number of Trainings Percentage

IT Skills & Applications

a. Basic 5 3

b. Intermediate 11 1

c. Advance 8 2

Communication Skills

a. Basic 1 5

b. Intermediate

c. Basic

Personality Development

a. Basic 1 5

b. Intermediate

c. Advance

Leadership

a. Basic 1 5

b. Intermediate

63

c. Advance

Career Development

a. Basic 1 5

b. Intermediate

c. Advance

Research Methods

a. Basic 1 5

b. Intermediate 1 5

c. Advance

Outsourcing Global

Services

a. Basic 2 4

b. Intermediate

c. Advance

Built-in in the Information Technology classroom lessons are crash course seminars in

order to have an in-service of their course. Hence, most of the business processing outsourcing

(BPO‘s) offered trainings if not repeated topics already from the point of view of the respondents

are just a little advance from what they have taken already in the classroom seminar or

discussions that is why they have considered these trainings and seminars an intermediate ones.

But in general, most of the trainings they have attended are at the basic level, meaning they are

considered introductory to their knowledge and skills.

Presented in Table 6.2 is the scope in terms of territorial consideration on the trainings

that have attended by the respondents. It shows that most of the trainings that the respondents

have attended were locally situated. The respondents have answered in multiple choices that

placed other types of trainings attended by scope in the local level.

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Table 6.2 Scope of Trainings Attended

Types of Trainings Frequency Ranking

IT Skills & Applications

a. Local 21 1

b. Regional 1 3

c. National 1 3

d. International 1 3

Communication Skills

a. Local 1 3

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Personality Development

a. Local 1 3

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Leadership

a. Local 1 3

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Career Development

a. Local 1 3

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Research Methods

a. Local 2 2

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Outsourcing Global

Services

a. Local 2 2

b. Regional

c. National

d. International

Table 7 presents the respondents‘ nature of information technology Work handled. In this

table, encoding ranked first as the nature of information technology work that most of the

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respondents have handled in their respective offices. While multi media editing, computer

hardware servicing, clerical work, programming and internet café technical services ranked

second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Table 7 Nature of IT Work Handled

Nature of IT Work Frequency Ranking

Clerical 26 4

Mechanical 4 7

Programming 21 5

Encoding 66 1

Multi Media Editing 35 2

Technician (Hardware) 29 3

Attendant (Internet Café) 8 6

Others:

Data Structure 1 9

Networking 2 8

Research 2 8

Data Filing 1 9

Cashiering 2 8

SEO 2 8

Call-outs 1 9

Photoshop 2 8

Layout Designing 2 8

Data Mining 2 8

Social Bookmarking 1 9

According to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., the duties of a system administrator are wide-

ranging, and vary widely from one organization to another. Sysadmins are usually charged with

installing, supporting and maintaining servers or other computer systems, and planning for and

responding to service outages and other problems. Other duties may include scripting or light

programming, project management for systems-related projects, supervising or training computer

operators, and being the consultant for computer problems beyond the knowledge of technical

66

support staff. To perform his or her job well, a system administrator must demonstrate a blend of

technical skills and responsibility.

It show in Table 7 that a higher number of respondents are more adept in encoding which

is a lesser task that a system administrator should be doing since they should rather be

concentrating in the computer programming and administering. Influence with the fast pace of

media explorations and expositions of the various techno-graphics, Information Technology

students today are more interested in multimedia type of work in their course.

Reasons of the respondents for not practicing the skills acquired while studying in college

is exhibited in Table 8. It is on this table that reason for having sufficient funds for schooling that

the respondents have not practiced the acquired information technology skills while studying

which ranked first among other reasons such as that the perceived course taken up is not

prospective career and the no relevance of immediate application of the course ranked second.

While the incapability of applying for an information technology work and related work ranked

fifth among the reasons as itemized by the respondents.

67

Table 8 Reasons For Not Practicing The Skills Acquired

While Studying In College

Reasons Frequency Ranking

Sufficient funds for

schooling

17

1

Course taken up is not

prospective as a career or a

trainee while studying

14

2

No relevance of immediate

application of the course

for the moment

14

2

Not capable of applying

work particularly in IT

related job

1

4

Personal and family

reasons

12 3

It is always believed that technical skills are better understand if constantly practiced and

drilled since the discovery for the betterment of the techniques in troubleshooting for instance

could be easily maneuvered. Information Technology course has a lot of required laboratory for

it is deemed necessary for the students to be exposed in the programming systems and have

longer time in the hands-on of the computer programming and other relevant studies in

administering information system.

Other than longer time in laboratory for drills are the exposures they may acquired

through other avenues such as engaging in the various information communication technology

institutions doing part time job in order to gain initial work experience and mastering their

capabilities in system administrations and programming.

However, in Table 8 that most of the respondents are full pledge students who are just

contented to have their drills, knowledge acquisitions and capabilities building be generated in

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the school campus and some interspersed trainings and seminars as per mandated in the

classroom instructors or plainly for academic requirements.

Shown in Table 9 is the confidence of the respondents in handling information related

work after graduation. Ranked first in their choice among the information related work is the

multimedia production. Network administration ranked second with thirty five students answered

on it. The web development, database administration and system administration ranked third,

fourth and fifth in their choices of information technology work they are confident to handle with

after graduation while software engineering ranked sixth.

Table 9 IT Related Work Confident To Handle After Graduation

IT Related Work Frequency Ranking

Software Engineering 8 6

Web Development 34 3

Network Administration 35 2

System Administration 22 5

Database Administration 28 4

Multimedia Production 38 1

It is evident that most of the respondents are artistically capable of handling the task of

multimedia production. Multimedia production work includes graphic designing, web

developing, digital production management is just but few of the information technology related

work which the respondents are confident to handle with after graduation.

Ranked second among the declared information technology related work that the

respondents are confident to work with after graduation is the network administration which

tasks ensures of installing and maintaining networking hardware and software, assigning names

and addresses to each computer and device on the network, assigning names and identification

69

numbers (IDs) to network users and groups, performing the commands required to share,

remove, and restrict resources, updating all appropriate networking files on your network's

machines, troubleshooting network activity, and performance tuning.

Table 10 presents the factors in the skills acquired by the respondents while in college. In

multiple choices, fifty eight respondents answered that they have confidently acquired the

information technology skills which ranked first. Human relation skills ranked second and

communications skills closely followed with forty six respondents agreed that they have acquired

this important skills while in college. Problem solving and critical thinking skills ranked fourth

and fifth type of skills that the respondents have acquired in the school. Entrepreneurial skills

ranked sixth among skills required by the college students.

Table 10 Skills Acquire While In College

Skills Acquired Frequency Ranking

Communication Skills 46 3

Human Relation Skills 48 2

Entrepreneurial Skills 17 6

IT Skills 58 1

Problem Solving Skills 25 4

Critical Thinking Skills 22 5

Information Technology skills covered from performing technical analysis, web

programming, develop, deliver and manage content, implement and maintain site and

application, manage web environment, perform testing and quality assurance, develop and

implement web database. These information technology skills are assured in the course

curriculum of the AMACC-Davao and that these are distributed in the four year course.

70

Least skills that the respondents have declared they have acquired while in school are the

entrepreneurial skills. A wide range of competences are seen as entrepreneurial and useful to the

direction of the AMACC-Davao‘s technopreneurship, include knowledge, skills and personal

traits such as management skills, communication skills, ability to work both as part of a team and

independently, able to plan, coordinate and organize effectively, financial literacy, able to

research effectively (e.g. available markets, suppliers, customers and the competition), self-

motivated and disciplined, adaptable an innovative and creative thinker, ability to multi-task,

able to take responsibility and make decisions , ability to work under pressure, perseverance,

competitiveness, willingness to take risks (or at least not risk averse), ability to network and

make contacts.

B. Employment Attributes of AMACC-Davao Information Technology

Graduating Students

Employment attributes include the personal qualities which commonly form part of the

basic characteristic of the most of the would-be employees of any business organizations.

Among the factors in the personal qualities, eager or interested to learn new things which has a

very high rating of 4.49% which is followed with 4.20% which is equivalent to high rating for

cooperative. Among the personal qualities rated the lowest of 3.42% which has a moderate

description is the character of examining details in work with careful or critical attention.

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Table 11 Personal Qualities

Personal Qualities

Indicators Mean Description

Can easily adapt to a new environment 3.89 High

Examine in detail with careful or critical attention 3.42 Moderate

With strong commitment or dedication 3.97 High

Cooperative 4.20 High

Creativeness and innovativeness 3.66 High

Willingness to make decisions, even in the face of complexities

or uncertainties 3.55 High

Reliability 3.84 High

Consistency of actions, expectations and outcomes 3.64 High

Ability to initiate things or actions for improvement 3.75 High

Self-awareness 3.86 High

Punctuality 3.63 High

Working well under pressure 3.62 High

Eager or interested to learn new things 4.49 Very High

Ethics 4.11 High

Overall 3.83 High

Table 11 Eagerness or interest of every individual to learn new things in whatever

endeavour is an indicator that the worker is willing to be developed and accept challenges in his

workplace. This quality is very highly possessed by the respondents which can be considered as

a strong driving force in assuring to enter initial employment. An individual with eagerness or

interest to learn new things usually are coupled the attitude of high level of cooperativeness in

whatever work assignments. With eagerness and interest to discover new learning, people tend to

become cooperative and display strong commitment or dedication to their work which is a

personal quality most of the successful workers acquired.

Most of the people who are eager to learn new things could easily adapt to new

environment, thus, could easily adjust with the different behaviour of the workers and are

cautious with the ethical practices in order to become an acceptable individuals in company.

72

With very high mean of 4.33 percent among the core skills that the respondents have

declared is the ability to work in a team. This is followed the core skills factors such as respect

with the opinions, values and beliefs with others with a mean of 4.24 percent and slightly

followed by the degree of accepting criticism constructively with 4.0 percent which are both

having high mean score. On the other hand, equally to be given due stressed are the high score

mean on the ability to self assessment to improve and to set learning goals which has a mean

score.

The handiness in executing mathematical operation accurately has a mean score of 3.18

percent which has a moderate description being the lowest among the core skills responded have

rated.

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Table 12 Core Skills

Core Skills

Indicators Mean Description

Can communicate clearly both written and verbal form 3.49 Moderate

Can comprehend information in the forms of visual messages

like graphs, diagrams or graphs 3.46 Moderate

Respond to written and verbal or visual messages to fully

ensure effective communication 3.51 High

Commercial awareness 3.45 Moderate

Ethical issues 3.50 High

Updated and can manipulate with the latest communication

technologies 3.74 High

Can execute mathematical operations accurately 3.18 Moderate

Interpersonal skills 3.64 High

Leadership 3.46 Moderate

Time management and the available resources effectively to

achieve goals 3.62 High

Can work with minimal supervision? Work done accurately 3.82 High

Can assess, identify and evaluate problems 3.57 High

Apply a systematic approach to resolve problems 3.42 Moderate

Recognize thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems 3.50 High

Self-assessment to improve and to set learning goals 3.97 High

Search for better and learning opportunities 3.93 High

Accept criticism constructively 4.04 High

Respective diverse opinions, values and beliefs of others 4.24 High

Like to work in a team 4.33 Very High

Interact with others as a team to contribute to effective

relationship and for the attainment of goals 4.21 High

Overall 3.70 High

Table 12 shows that the over-all core skills that the respondents have acquired with 3.70

are rated high.

Employers have identified core skills as the most likely to be needed in any work

environment. Core skills are mainly sub-divided into communication, numeracy, information and

communication technology, problem solving and working with others. Working in a team can

only be practically achieved if people in an organization respect the various opinions, values and

beliefs with others which eventually lead to building rapport with one another. It cannot be

74

denied at the same time that interactions and exchanging of ideas and perspectives among people

at work will create harmony and unity.

However, the environment of the office constantly change and this movement will

sometimes create chaos, misunderstanding and some manipulations directed to demoralize

people‘s interest and initiatives and for this reason that openness of every individual as part of

the workforce should develop to accept criticism constructively. Accepting criticism

constructively will eventually teach the employee to for self assessment of his capabilities that

need to be improved further both knowledge and skills to become effective and efficient

employee.

Table 13 shows the subject knowledge of the respondents is high in the practical

application of knowledge with a mean score of 3.74. With minimal differences in mean, the

respondents are high in understanding concepts, advancement of latest information, and the wide

range or scope of knowledge follow respectively.

Table 13 presented that the respondents have high subject knowledge either in scope,

concepts, latest information and application.

Table 13 Subject Knowledge

Subject Knowledge

Indicators Mean Description

Wide range or scope of knowledge 3.54 High

Understanding concepts 3.68 High

Practical application of knowledge 3.74 High

Advancement of latest information 3.67 High

Overall 3.66 High

75

It is evident that the respondents are technically equipped with the concepts of their field

of study which manifest with high score in mean. And being knowledgeable of their subject, they

have high potential in the applications of their knowledge that fit them to undertake advance

understanding of related scope of study.

The level of cognate of an employee is considered as an essential aspect not only for his

advancement in work but also the development of the institution. Employee‘s in-depth know-

how is even instrumental in the institution‘s goals of innovation, creation and exploration that

would impact entire progress of the operation.

Greater percentage of the grounded theories acquisition and accumulation of

understanding of an employee has always been credited on his field of study knowledge while in

his college since it expected that during this educational level that an individual should be

critically considering subject knowledge mastery.

C. Level of Expertise in Information Technology

Level of Expertise in terms of Knowledge

Table 14 shows the programming expertise in terms of knowledge of the respondents.

Program design has a 2.87 percent mean score which is indicating a moderately knowledgeable

level while advanced data structures has a low mean. The table shows an over-all low in the level

of expertise in terms of knowledge.

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Table 14 Programming Concentration

Programming Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Structured Programming Theory 2.75 Moderate

Program Design 2.87 Moderate

Develop Structured Programs 2.54 Low

Advanced Data Structures 2.37 Low

Testing 2.76 Moderate

Overall 2.66 Low

Program design has the highest mean in the table which pertains to knowledge on

designing program logic using both graphical and pseudo code techniques, such as data flow

diagram, UML and use of other algorithmic solutions to programming problem, it is very

essential to the respondents that they know about this specific concentration in programming

since it is their foundation in the IT field that enables them to make a solutions for the industry.

Program testing is relevant for the respondents since it covers on executing program with test

data, analyze test results, correct errors such as logical, run time, syntax and lexical it prepares

the respondents to be more competitive since designing programs is a complex matter due to its

procedures.

Table 15 presents the network management level of expertise in terms of knowledge.

With 3.38 percent mean score, the internet knowledge has the high mean and the network

architecture, hardware design, operation, and maintenance, OS, networking, network

management, and system installation and maintenance have moderate mean result. Network

management concentration as one of the concentration is indicating a moderate in level of

expertise in terms of knowledgeable.

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Table 15 Network Management Concentration

Network Management Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Internet 3.38 High

Hardware design, Operation, and Maintenance 3.18 Moderate

OS 3.20 Moderate

Networking 3.34 Moderate

Network Architecture 2.88 Moderate

Network Management 2.95 Moderate

System Installation and Maintenance 3.30 Moderate

Overall 3.18 Moderate

The internet as the highest mean indicator which refers to the knowledge on

Transmission Control Protocol, Domain Name System servers and functions of the seven layers

of the OSI reference in which the respondents is knowledgeable base on the result given on the

table for it will drive them to innovation and to higher altitude means of communication since

they are dependent on it while networking as second to the highest mean pertains to the

knowledge on basic network classifications and topologies common network computing

platforms and network connectivity basics which is relevant to the respondents knowledge on the

internet which helps them to emphasize and utilize its capacity by interconnecting networks and

deferent computer networks and systems.

Table 16 shows that static/dynamic web page design; digital media design, computer

graphics, 2-D computer animation, interactive multimedia, internet scripting and programming,

and database design and interaction have indicated a moderate level of expertise in terms of

knowledge. 3-D computer animation has a 2.18 percent mean score which is low in level of

expertise in knowledge. This particular table presents a moderate in level of expertise in

knowledge.

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Table 16 Interactive Media Concentration

Interactive Media Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Digital Media Design 2.96 Moderate

Computer Graphics 2.95 Moderate

2-D Computer Animation 2.58 Moderate

3-D Computer Animation 2.18 Low

Interactive Multimedia 2.71 Moderate

Static / Dynamic Web Page Design 3.00 Moderate

Internet Scripting and Programming 2.72 Moderate

Database Design and Interaction 2.70 Moderate

Overall 2.73 Moderate

The highest mean in the table is the static and dynamic webpage design which pertains to

the knowledge of quick and easy demonstration of web resource and its development method and

typically written in various scripting languages or technologies. Computer graphics concerns

with the knowledge on importing graphics in using software programs and manipulate images in

such a way that it would alter and enhance the images quality which is essential to the

respondent‘s performance in handling multimedia elements.

Table 17 shows that hardware service technology, operating system technology and

networking indicators of information support and maintenance has a moderate in level of

expertise in terms of knowledge.

Table 17 Information Support and Maintenance Concentration

Information Support & Maintenance Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Hardware Service Technology 3.24 Moderate

Operating System Technology 3.22 Moderate

Networking 3.07 Moderate

Overall 3.18 Moderate

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The highest indicator mean in the table is Hardware Service Technology which gained

3.24 which also refers to the knowledge on installation, configuration and upgrading diagnosing,

troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, safety and environmental issues, this knowledge would

be essential to the respondents skills to equip their selves, on the other hand Operating System

Technology as the second highest mean pertains to the knowledge on higher level program in

installing configuring and upgrading, diagnosing and troubleshooting. This knowledge will

prepare the respondents capability to handle services that an end user will not be capable of

doing.

Table 18 presents that network management, interactive media, information support and

maintenance are moderate level of expertise in terms of knowledge and programming

concentration has 2.66 percent which has a low level of expertise in knowledge. The over-all

level of expertise in terms of knowledge is moderate.

Table 18 Over-all Level of Expertise in Terms of Knowledge

Level of Knowledge

Indicators Mean Description

Programming Concentration 2.66 Low

Network Management Concentration 3.18 Moderate

Interactive Media Concentration 2.73 Moderate

Information Support and Maintenance Concentration 3.18 Moderate

Overall 2.93 Moderate

Table 18 presents the over-all level of expertise in terms of knowledge of the

respondents‘ presents a 2.93 score mean which has a verbal description of moderately

knowledgeable. This suggests that the respondents are most likely interested both in the

knowledge of Information Support and Maintenance Concentration and Network Management

Concentration due to their persistent exposure in specialize program based on support

maintenance and network management such as the Cisco Network Academy program that

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expose them on network technology as well as hardware and systems maintenance. On the other

hand the programming concentration is having the least mean result among the knowledge

indicators since the respondents indicated moderate difficulty in mathematical and analytical

order thinking.

Level of Expertise in terms of Skills

Table 19 shows that abilities in programming concentration like programming

language, process of algorithm and structured code development, advance data structures in a

structured programming language, write robust programs, document technical associated with

software development, and demonstrate knowledge of software maintenance registered a low in

level of expertise in terms of skills.

Table 19 Programming Concentration

Programming Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Ability to develop programs using structured programming

language concepts such as object-oriented programming and

event-driven style 2.54 Low

Ability to apply the process of algorithm and structured code

development 2.38 Low

Ability to develop advanced data structures in a structured

programming language 2.32 Low

Ability to write robust programs (error handlers, debugging

and testing) 2.39 Low

Ability to document technical associated with software

development 2.38 Low

Ability to demonstrate knowledge of software maintenance 2.50 Low

Overall 2.42 Low

The overall mean in programming concentration is low since the respondents are having

less exposure in the particular area in a way that they are not practicing, less demonstration

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experiences, lacking of innovation, less application implementation and having an in-depth

learning of the subject matter. According to the results presented from the table, it is stated that

most of the respondents are having a low quality of skills in terms of development in advanced

data structures in a structured programming language which is the lowest mean, this particular

skill it is a need for the respondents preparation since it a major factor for an advance

development in programming. As the highest mean presented from by the table, to develop

programs using structured programming language concepts such as object-oriented programming

and event-driven style is inclined for the respondents since it is more elaborately thought to

them.

Table 20 exhibits that the ability of network management such as knowledge of the

internet, computer network site environment, computer architecture and processor types, network

classifications and topologies, network computing platforms, LAN physical media, basic

knowledge of connectivity devices, maintenance of security requirements, configure network

protocols, basic system architectures, demonstrate basic telecommunications and interconnection

of networks, differentiate and recognize WAN protocols, identify and demonstrate network

connectivity basics, describe LAN switching, perform installation procedures, perform network

operations procedures and perform network system maintenance are moderate in level of

expertise in terms of skills.

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Table 20 Network Management Concentration

Network Management Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Ability to demonstrate advanced knowledge of the Internet 3.18 Moderate

Ability to analyze the computer network site environment 2.99 Moderate

Ability to differentiate computer architecture and processor

types 2.80 Moderate

Ability to classify basic network classifications and

topologies 3.09 Moderate

Ability to identify common network computing platforms 2.87 Moderate

Ability to differentiate LAN physical media 3.11 Moderate

Ability to demonstrate basic knowledge of connectivity

devices 3.22 Moderate

Ability to maintain security requirements 2.97 Moderate

Ability to verify and configure network protocols 2.95 Moderate

Ability to install basic system architectures 2.99 Moderate

Ability to demonstrate basic telecommunications and

interconnection of networks 2.84 Moderate

Ability to differentiate and recognize WAN protocols 2.79 Moderate

Ability to identify and demonstrate network connectivity

basics 2.88 Moderate

Ability to describe LAN switching 2.99 Moderate

Ability to perform installation procedures 2.83 Moderate

Ability to perform network operation procedures 2.80 Moderate

Ability to perform network system maintenance 2.82 Moderate

Overall 2.95 Moderate

Referring to the results of the network management concentration above, it is stated that

the ability to demonstrate basic knowledge of connectivity devices has a high mean result.

Ability to demonstrate advanced knowledge of the internets has the highest mean among the

other indicators. It connotes that the respondents are continuously demonstrating and practicing

in connecting deferent devices with identification which pertains to the management of different

connectors, devices and its technology. The lowest among the mean is the ability to differentiate

and recognize WAN protocols, this skill pertains to the advance configuration of interconnection

of networks furthermore the respondents has the ability to perform such skill but lesser practice,

since they have less experience in handling live WAN devices.

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Table 21 shows that ability to apply design principles, design layouts, user interface,

navigation scheme, creating computer graphics using graphics software programs, application of

animation techniques, identifying basic principles of animations, manipulation of images, create

web page design, apply static web page with advanced elements are moderate in level of

expertise in terms of skills. While ability to animate characters, create 3-D animations and its

basic principles in animation, 3-D in animating characters, and combine elements to produce

interactive multi-media are low in level of expertise in terms of skills.

Table 21 Interactive Media Concentration

Interactive Media Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Ability to apply design principles 2.93 Moderate

Ability to design layouts, user interface, navigation scheme 3.09 Moderate

Ability to create computer graphics using graphics software

programs 2.92 Moderate

Ability to apply animation techniques 2.76 Moderate

Ability to identify the basic principles of animations 2.74 Moderate

Ability to animate characters 2.59 Low

Ability to create 3-D animation its basic principles of

animation 2.16 Low

Ability to create 3-D in animating characters 2.22 Low

Ability to manipulate images 3.09 Moderate

Ability to create static web page design 2.99 Moderate

Ability to apply static web page with advanced elements 2.71 Moderate

Ability to combine elements to produce interactive multimedia 2.64 Low

Overall 2.74 Moderate

Among the interactive media concentration, it shows that both the ability to manipulate

images and design layouts, user interface, navigation scheme which is very essential to their

course and preparation for employability since the skill pertains to image editing and

manipulation in any multimedia production tasks, while most of the respondents are not exposed

in 3-D animation since it is not given due focus in the area of the field of study.

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Table 22 presents ability to install, configure and upgrade hardware technology, diagnose

and troubleshoot associated with each component, problems and finding the most likely cost,

identify and differentia operating system, install and configure and upgrade of an OS, diagnose

and troubleshoot, interpret meaning of common error codes and start-up messages from the boot

process, distinguish motherboards, processors and memory, identify printer technology

interfaces, recognize common printer problems and techniques used to resolve, apply basic

networking, identify network implementation and troubleshoot network support are moderate in

level of expertise in terms of skills.

Table 22 Information Support and Maintenance Concentration

Information Support and Maintenance Concentration

Indicators Mean Description

Ability to install, configure and upgrade hardware technology 3.42 Moderate

Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot associated with each

component, problems and finding the most likely cost 3.13 Moderate

Ability to identify and differentiate operating system 3.42 Moderate

Ability to install and configure and upgrade of an OS 3.41 Moderate

Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot 3.24 Moderate

Ability to interpret meaning of common error codes and startup

messages from the boot process 3.00 Moderate

Ability to distinguish motherboards, processors and memory 3.45 Moderate

Ability to identify printer technology interfaces 3.39 Moderate

Ability to recognize common printer problems and techniques

used to resolve 3.18 Moderate

Ability to apply basic networking 3.24 Moderate

Ability to identify network implementation 2.99 Moderate

Ability to troubleshoot network support 2.92 Moderate

Overall 3.23 Moderate

Table 22 shows that the respondents has the highest mean ability to distinguish

motherboards, processors and memory which pertains to the in – depth differentiation and

identification of each devices, which will help the respondents to gain an initial employment

while the respondents also has both the ability to Identify and differentiate operating system and

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the ability to install, configure and upgrade hardware technology which pertains to the execution

and demonstration that mitigate problems.

Table 23 exhibits the four concentrations in the level of expertise in terms of skills in the

information technology. Among the four concentrations, programming concentration has a low

level of expertise while the network management concentration, interactive concentration, and

information support and maintenance concentrations are moderate in level of expertise in terms

of skills.

Table 23 Over-all Level of Expertise in terms of Skills

Level of Expertise in terms of Skills

Indicators Mean Description

Programming Concentration 2.42 Low

Network Management Concentration 2.95 Moderate

Interactive Media Concentration 2.74 Moderate

Information Support and Maintenance Concentration 3.23 Moderate

Overall 2.83 Moderate

In the overall presentation of the level of expertise it shows that the network management

concentration is having a 2.95 mean score which has a moderate verbal description. Respondents

are relatively exposed to different areas of networking and its components, while the

programming concentration registered a low level of expertise in terms of skills as perceived by

the respondents. The over-all mean in Table 23 has 2.83 percent which shows that there is only

moderate level of expertise in terms of skills with the respondents among the four major

indicators in the information technology skills expertise.

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Contribution on the Level of Expertise and Employment Attributes in Gaining Initial

Employment

Table 24 shows the model fitting test of gaining initial employment with level of

expertise and employment attributes as the independent variables. This study attempts to verify

the significance of the use of the model with the use of Omnibus test of the model.

As shown in Table 24, knowledge and skills acquired by the respondents in the

Information Technology are considered in measuring the level of their expertise while the

personal qualities, core skills and subject knowledge are factors included for gauging the

employment attributes they have gained while in studying the course.

Table 24 Model Fitting Test of Gaining Initial Employment

Omnibus Test of the Model

Model Effect

Model Fitting Criteria Likelihood Ratio Tests

-2 Log Likelihood of Reduced

Model Chi-Square p-value

Intercept 105.984 1.096 .578

Knowledge 104.960 .072 .965

Skills 106.674 1.787 .409

Personal Qualities 108.620 3.732 .155

Core Skills 106.858 1.970 .373

Subject Knowledge 106.105 1.217 .544

The above table is an Omnibus test of the Model which determines the best model given

the data. The chi-square statistic is the difference in 2-log likelihoods between the final model

and the reduced model. The null hypothesis is that all parameters of that effect are not

significant. Given the result of the omnibus test, it says that there is no variation of the original

model and the reduced model as the p-values did not register statistically significant values. This

implies that the model used is a good fit model of the data.

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Influence of the Dependent variables on the Employability of AMACC Graduates

OJT

Grade Explanatory Variables B

Std.

Error Sig. Odds

75-79

Intercept -4.855 4.928 0.32

Knowledge -0.262 2.014 0.90 0.23

Skills 1.993 2.035 0.33 6.34

Personal Qualities -0.966 2.019 0.63 0.62

Employment Attributes -0.937 2.826 0.74 0.61

Subject Knowledge 1.129 1.756 0.52 2.09

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Intercept 0.25 2.62 0.92

Knowledge -0.258 1.027 0.80 0.23

Skills 1.044 1.008 0.30 1.84

Personal Qualities -2.017* 1.099 0.07 0.87

Employment Attributes 1.789 1.399 0.20 4.98

Subject Knowledge -0.676 0.859 0.43 0.49

Reference category: 90 to 100

* significant at 0.1 level of significance

The above table shows the result of the empirical test to determine the influence of the

knowledge, skills, personal qualities, employment attributes and subject knowledge on the

employability of the AMACC graduates.

It was revealed that only one indicator showed statistical significance to influence the

employability of the graduates. The variable that was found to show statistical significance using

a 0.1 level of significance is the personal qualities. The sign of the coefficient was negative

hence, the odds of getting a score of 90 to 100 as opposed to getting 80-89 OJT grades was 87

percent. This means that personal attributes would allow for a rating between 90% to 100%.

Thus, the personal attributes of the trainee would bear persisting impression on the supervisors of

the trainees. All other indicators were found to show no statistical influence on the employability

of the AMACC graduates as proxied by the OJT grades.

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On-the-job training grade was used to measure the employability of the graduating

students because the on-the-job training of every student is considered as their initial exposure

and hands-on activity in the workplace, where they are required to apply their knowledge, skills

and characteristics as an employee-trainee deployed in their respective job assignment. On-the-

job training is an appropriate measurement for the graduating students‘ in gaining initial

employment since the supervisor where they are assigned will be the one to monitor, observe and

evaluate their job performance and attitude towards work other than the practicum coordinator

who will assess the achievements they have gained as a tool for knowing their readiness in

finding, entering and placing into a job after their studies.

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Chapter 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

This study was conducted to ascertain the influence of level of expertise in terms of skills

and knowledge and the employment attributes in terms of personal qualities, core skills and

subject knowledge to gaining initial employment of the graduating students of the Information

Technology in AMA Computer College-Davao.

In particular, the study serves as a basis for the institution‘s Admission Office which is

in-charge in recruiting the students who became our direct clients who then need post-service by

facilitating appropriate job placement, a concern of the Placement Office of AMACC-Davao.

Moreover, this research study will serve as indicator for the teachers‘ teaching content, style and

methods in inculcating academic and employment characteristics.

This study applied descriptive survey using questionnaires which are the profile of the

respondents, level of expertise and employment attributes. A forum was facilitated specifically in

verifying open-ended questions in the survey.

In order to present a comprehensive viewpoints on the study, secondary data were

gathered and were culled-out from the international highway of information (internet), books,

and manuals.

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Results of the survey were tabulated, interpreted and analyzed based on the contribution

of the level of expertise in terms of (a) knowledge, and (b) skills and employment attributes in

terms (a) personal qualities, (b) core skills, and (c) subject knowledge in gaining initial

employment.

To determine the validity of the model used in this study, the researchers use the

Omnibus Test of the Model which determines the best model given the data. The chi-square

statistic was employed to verify the difference in 2-log likelihoods between the final model and

the reduced model. And to establish if there is significant influence that knowledge, skills,

personal qualities, core skills and subject knowledge in gaining initial employment an empirical

test was utilized in this study.

Based on the data gathered the following findings were obtained.

A. Profile of the Information Technology Graduating Students in AMACC-Davao

AMA Computer College is a coed higher educational institution which offers five

courses. Information Technology is one of the flagship courses in this institution. It is on this

premise that this study is being conducted, to investigate whether the institution was able to

bridge the needed learning and competencies for employability once they have graduated in this

course.

There were seventy six Information Technology students in this study who qualified in

the criteria to become respondents: graduating students of Information Technology for the

School-Year 2011-2012 and who have undergone on-the-job training.

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Majority of the respondents in this study are male although there is only minimal

difference with the number of female. This means that the course is not only attractive to male

whom most of the parents thought of. Most of these respondents lived in Davao with their

parents. Only few are from other regions like SOCSARGEN, CARAGA and Northern

Mindanao.

Most of the respondents have been in private schools during secondary level and have

been in their right age at the required level of education by now. Although there are respondents

who are spending their college years for more than five years now and foremost reason to this

because they are either transferees or have stopped from schooling.

Providing seminars and trainings that will help broaden and deepen the understanding of

the respondents in their field of study coupled with hands-on practices help increase their

knowledge, confidence and ability in the information technology work. Nearly all of the

respondents have taken locally held, intermediate level of information skills and applications

trainings. Moreover, there are other trainings which they have attended that help build in their

personality as future employees.

A large number in the respondents of this study have signified they can encode well and a

good number of the respondents signified they can handle multimedia editing while some

expressed they can do hardware troubleshooting.

With the expertise they can handle on information work such as encoding, multi media

editing and hardware troubleshooting, one can generate income if these skills will be used in

economic means such as working in information technology-based offices or engage in

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technopreneurship. Study shows that most of the respondents though possessing these

information technology skills are not practicing it for employment since a number of them are

full-time learners and have sufficient funds for schooling.

However, more than half of the respondents are confident to handle information

technology related work such as multimedia production, network administration, web

development, and database administration after graduation and will use their skills for gaining

employment.

Other than the information technology skills, the respondents also disclosed the other

necessary skills acquired while in college such as human relation skills, and communication

skills that help them become competitive employee entrants in the industry.

B. Employment Attributes

Majority of the respondents as graduating students are eager or interested to learn new

things specifically if these have not been explored much while they were studying. Almost all of

the personal qualities are highly possessed by the respondents and only the characteristic of

examining in detail with careful or critical attention is rated moderately acquired.

In the core skills, it shows that working in a team is an attribute in which the respondents

are trained with in whatever undertaking. While in the subject knowledge as one of the

employment attributes, respondents show impressive remarks of understanding in their field of

study.

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C. Level of Expertise in Information Technology

Perceived level of expertise in terms of knowledge of the respondents particularly in

network management, interactive media, and information support maintenance moderately

complements with the respondents‘ capacity.

D. Influence of Employment Attributes and Level of Expertise to Gaining Initial

Employment

Among the variables considered in the study such as knowledge, skills, personal

qualities, core skills and subject knowledge, only personal qualities shows significant influence

in gaining initial employment and others showed no statistical influence in the study.

Conclusions:

On the basis of the findings obtained, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. Most of the respondents have undertaken information technology, career and personality

development trainings which equipped them to face initial work assignments during on-the-job

trainings.

2. Respondents have enough hands-on skills in information technology work such as

encoding, multimedia and hardware technician.

3. Most of the respondents are confident in handling after graduation the network

administration; multimedia production and web development tasks.

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4. Other than technical skills in the information technology as their field of expertise, it

shows that most of the respondents have acquired employment skills in the school like human

relations, personality development and communication skills.

5. It is manifested in the study that respondents possessed the employment attributes like the

personal qualities, core skills and subject knowledge as important characteristics in gaining

initial employment.

6. Apparently, the respondents are low in programming both understanding and applications

which is ironic since they are supposedly proficient, skilled and confident technically.

7. Network management, interactive media, information support and maintenance are the

information technology concentrations where respondents were moderately both knowledgeable

and capable.

8. The model used in this research study primarily investigating the gaining of initial

employment of the AMACC-Davao Information Technology graduating students has resulted a

good fit model of the data as it registered below p-value of .05 and has no value higher than 4

using chi-square likelihood ratio tests.

9. It was revealed in this study that only personal attributes of the graduating students-

trainees would endure inkling to the supervisors. Of which, from the human resource point of

view, this implies high level of gaining employability since knowledge and skills can be obtained

while the trainees-workers would remain in the service in the workplace.

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10. With personal qualities being the only parameter that significantly influence the gaining

of initial employment among our students-trainees, it only shows that the Information

Technology (I.T.) students of AMACC-Davao have confidently acquired more of the civic

education than academic and skills education. Hence, their personal qualities are developed

which is a good indicator for obtaining initial employment, however, alarming condition in the

practice of their field of study and expertise.

Recommendations

The recommendations below are considered in helping our students, educators and

administrators address the problems and findings of this study not only for the betterment of the

AMACC-Davao operations but more importantly with its core service to its clientele (students)

in delivering excellent and information technology-based education in order that our graduating

students will be armed with the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes in gaining initial

employment.

1. Consider reviewing the content and conduct of the entrance examination of the students

who will enroll in the information technology course; that the entrance tests will relatively ensure

initial requirement of the personality, cognitive skills and technical ability of the students. In this

manner, AMACC-Davao should institute a guidance counselor who will facilitate psychometric

tests to the enrollees.

2. Employment skills though gleaned in this study have significant influence in gaining

initial employment. However, it does not mean that the students are confident in most of the

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important attributes of employability such as fluentness in verbal (English) communication,

skills in technical writing and personality confidence. Hence, there is a need to constantly inject

and relate the general education subjects about the employment attributes to their classroom

discussions so that they will be conscientiously practicing on it rather than imbibing these only

during on-the-job training crash courses and exposure for a couple of months at their assigned

companies.

3. There is a need to revisit the curriculum of the Information Technology course if it is still

addressing the needed knowledge and skills of the students learning on this course. By revisiting

the course curriculum the Information Technology (I.T.), academic department and the

institution will be able to recommend appropriate elective courses to the level of the students the

institution is envisioning to produce based on the market (employment) demand. Moreover, with

the curriculum assessment, the I.T. as a flagship course of AMACC-Davao will have a clearer

academic direction and field of specialization fitted to the type of its students as its principal

stakeholders.

4. Programming concentration as an important area of study in the Information Technology

rated low with the graduating students in the Information Technology. This finding is quite

alarming both in the course content and pedagogies. Since the course is highly categorized as

technical in nature and operations, it is very important that educators handling the major subjects

of this course regularly sit down and conduct scrutiny as to the collaboration of the content

outlined in syllabi for classroom lecturers and the updated techniques in the application in the

laboratory drills/exercises with the laboratory instructors.

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5. To perk the interest, enrich experiences and broaden exposures of the Information

Technology students, dynamic teaching methods in the classroom lectures, critical problem

solving and experimental technical exercises should be maximized in the laboratory parallel with

the level of knowledge taught in the classroom lectures. In addition, optimization of the use of

the laboratory for three hours should be followed and not to shorten due to the limited number of

computer units in every laboratory. With this set up, we will be providing enough time for the

students to build technical (skills) competencies who are then expected to be technically

equipped in computer related activities.

6. Equally important though in gaining initial employment is the personal qualities that the

graduating students in the Information Technology through civic education. It is also significant

that their field of specialization should be given focus since as new entrants in the employment

area they will also be subject for versatility testing in their field of expertise (information

technology).

7. Commendable in the study is the effort and proficiency of the educators who instill the

good qualities of becoming an adaptable worker due to the quality of civic education and general

education lectures as well as exercises done in the classroom, but what the academic department

should also give due attention is the screening, recruitment and placement processes of the

educators who will handle highly specialized subjects for the Information Technology course in

which not only academic achievement should be the basis of assigning to it to them but also

includes the wide range of exposures and long range of experience in either handling the subject

matter in the corporate work or teaching in order to ensure that educators could have mastery of

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the subject course and impart accurate knowledge to the learners both theoretical and

experiential.

8. In order to attest if the graduating students-trainees have possessed the employment

attributes, acquired the information technology skills acquired and learned the field of their

study, appropriate placement should be considered by the Placement Officer of the AMACC-

Davao in coordination with the Practicum Development Coordinator scouting companies for the

deployment of the interns. The graduating students (interns) should not only be tested on their

employment characteristics through on-the-job training but also be gauged with their level of

expertise, thus, deploying them to our partner companies should be guaranteed to permit the

application of the skills and knowledge accordingly. Moreover, the researchers recommend

future validations of the employability model thru conducting a tracer study of the school

graduates covering the seven years alumni of the Information Technology.

9. Eager to learn new things as the primary personal characteristic of our graduating

students in the Information Technology and other employment attributes as presented in the

findings of this study will give a greater opportunity for them to enter into an initial level of

employment, however, with regards to learning the specialized skills specifically in the area of

programming is proven in the study and in their actual performance particularly when it comes to

research work (thesis). As per revealed by the Information Technology graduating students

during one of the for a conducted by the researchers to vouch the result of this study, they have

expressed difficulty in making a computer program or system, hence, delay in system check if

not total withdrawal in the research work (thesis) are oftentimes the behaviors of the I.T.

graduating students when they are enrolled with the thesis. This finding is clear evidence that

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most of the I.T. graduating students have declared less confidence in their subject knowledge or

skill abilities in their field of study.

10. Regularly organize a consultation-forum in diagnosing the learners‘ (especially the

graduating students) capacity and employment characteristics by the AMACC-Davao

departments concerned with the students‘ life like the academic department, admission,

guidance, and placement offices.

In addition, the researchers would also like that studies on the employability should also

be conducted to other courses offered in AMACC-Davao in order to have an institutional

assessment of the students‘ knowledge capacity, employment characteristics and skills capability

in gaining initial employment once completed with their higher academic studies.

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104

Appendix A

Computer College

Davao Campus

PROFILE QUESTIONAIRE

1. LAST NAME: FIRST NAME: MIDDLE NAME:

2. EMAIL ADDRESS: __________________________________

3. TELEPHONE NUMBER: ______________________________

4. MOBILE NUMBER: _________________________________

5. CIVIL STATUS: _______________

6. SEX: ____________

7. BIRTHDAY: ________________

8. REGION OF ORIGIN: _____________________________

PROVINCE: ______________________________________

9. EDUCATIONAL DREGREE BACKGROUND

EDUCATIONAL

LEVEL

DEGREE NAME OF SCHOOL ADDRESS OF SCHOOL YEAR

GRADUATED

HONORS

AND

AWARDS

PRE – SCHOOL

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

VOCATIONAL

TERTIARY

105

11. NUMBER OF YEARS IN COLLEGE ________

11. TRAINING(S) ADVANCE STUDIES ATTENDED WHILE IN COLLEGE

12. TYPE OF NATURE OF WORK IN IT YOU HAVE ALREADY HANDLED AS EMPLOYMEE

OR TRAINEE. YOU MAY CHECK

MORE THAN ONE ANSWER.

_____ CLERICAL

_____ MECHANICAL

_____ PROGRAMMING

_____ ENCODING

_____ MULTIMEDIA EDITING

_____ TECHNICIAN (HARDWARE)

_____ ATTENDANT (INTERNET CAFÉ)

OTHERS PLEASE SPECIFY: _________________________________________________________________________

13. WHAT IS THE REASON(S) FOR NOT HAVING THE CHANCE TO PRACTICE EITHER

AS AN EMPLOYEE OR TRAINEE OF

THE SKILLS ACQUIRED WHILE STUDYING IN THE SCHOOL?

SUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR SHCOOLING

COURSE TAKEN UP IS NOT THE PROPECTIVE AS A CAREER OR A TRAINEE WHILE STILL

STUDYING

NO RELEVANCE OF IMMEDIATE APPLICATION OF THE COURSE FOR THE MOMENT

NOT CAPABLE OF APPLYING A WORK PARTICULARLY IN I.T.RELATED JOB

PERSONAL AND FAMILY REASON(S)

TITLE OF TRANING DURATION NAME OF

TRANING

INSTITUTION

LEVELS OF TRAINING

(BASIC, INTERMIDIATE

OR ADVANCE)

SCOPE

(NATIONAL OR

INTERNATIONAL)

106

14. AS A GRADUATING STUDENT, CHECK BELOW WHAT I T RELATED WORK YOU ARE

CONFIDENT WITH TO HANDLE

ONCE EMPLOYED AFTER STUDYING IN COLLEGE.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

WEB DEVELOPMENT

NETWORK ADMINISTRATTION

SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION

DATABASE ADMINISTRATION

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION

15. WHAT ARE THE SKILLS YOU HAVE ACQUIRED WHILE IN COLLEGE AND CONSIDERED

USEFUL IN YOUR FUTURE

EMPLOYMENT? YOU MAY CHECK MORE THAN ONE ANSWER.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

HUMAN RELATION SKILLS

ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

I.T. SKILLS

PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

CRITICAL THINGKING SKILLS

THANK YOU!

107

The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine the level of expertise in terms of your knowledge and

skills.

Please fill-up the form and put a check () mark on your perceived level of knowledge and skills on

each item.

For questions or further information, please contact Joseph Elmer G. Noval, mobile phone number

09276173500.

For questions or further information, please contact Joseph Elmer G. Noval at 241-

2270

This section will determine the level of expertise of the IT graduating students in terms of

knowledge.

Please put a check mark on the number from 1 to 5 indicating your perceived level of knowledge from

―not knowledgeable‖ represented by ―1‖ to ―5‖ of very highly knowledgeable‖

1 – not knowledgeable 2 – fairly knowledgeable 3 – moderately knowledgeable 4 – highly knowledgeable 5 – very highly knowledgeable

For questions or further information, please contact Joseph Elmer G. Noval, mobile phone number

09276173500.

Appendix B

LEVEL OF EXPERTISE OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

GRADUATING STUDENTS IN AMACC-Davao

Directions

Name (optional) : _________________________________________________________

School Graduated : ________________________________________________________

Gender [ ] Male [ ] Female

Directions

108

PROGRAMMING CONCENTRATION This section refers to the knowledge of an IT graduating student in structured programming concepts and

application.

1 2 3 4 5

Structured Programming Theory (refers to the knowledge of system life cycle, the basics of structured, object-

oriented and event-driven programming)

Program Design (refers to the knowledge on designing program logic using both graphical and

pseudocode techniques, such as data flow diagram, UML and use of other

algorithmic solutions to a programming problem)

Develop Structured Computer Programs (refers to the knowledge of standard data types, string data handling, use of

error trapping, iterations, decision and selection structures, relational and logical

operators, arrays, functions and use sorting and searching effectively in a

program)

Advanced Data Structures (pertains to the knowledge on linked list, stacks, queues, binary trees, hash

tables, recursion and classes)

Testing (refers to the knowledge on executing program with test data, analyze test

results, correct logic errors, run-time errors, syntax and lexical errors)

NETWORK MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION This part of the survey refers to the knowledge of an IT graduating students in administering computer

network environment.

1 2 3 4 5

Internet (pertains to the knowledge on transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

(TCP/IP), Domain Name Server(DNS), and functions of the seven layers of the

OSI reference model)

Hardware Design, Operation, and Maintenance (refers the knowledge on standard setting bodies, microcomputer architecture

and processors, modems, multiplexers, switches, gateways, bridges, routers and

repeaters)

Operating Systems (focuses on the knowledge on maintaining security requirements and computer

system interfaces)

Networking (refers to the knowledge on basic network classifications and topologies,

common network computing platforms and network connectivity basics)

Network Architectures (refers to the knowledge on basic network architectures and network

protocols)

Network Management (pertains to the knowledge on performing network installation procedures and

network operation procedures)

System Installation and Maintenance (refers to the knowledge on performing system maintenance, software

upgrades and fixes)

109

INTERACTIVE MEDIA CONCENTRATION This section focuses on the knowledge of an IT graduating student on the animation concepts and digital

media design and application.

1 2 3 4 5

Digital Media Design (refers to the knowledge on design principles and designing skills)

Computer Graphics (pertains to the knowledge on importing graphics from peripheral devices,

creating computer graphics using software programs and manipulate images)

2-D Computer Animation (relates to the knowledge on the basic principles of animation and animating

characters using 2-D graphics)

3-D Computer Animation (refers to the knowledge on the basic principles of animation and animating

characters using 3-D graphics)

Interactive Multimedia (refers to the knowledge of interactive media and combining media elements

to produce interactive multimedia)

Static/Dynamic Web Page Design (pertains to the knowledge of creating static and dynamic web pages and its

components)

Internet Scripting and Programming (focuses on the knowledge of integrating scripts in Web Site Development and

internet programming concepts)

Database Design and Interaction (refers to the knowledge on database design, database use in web

environment and structure query language)

INFORMATION SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE CONCENTRATION This section measures the knowledge of an IT graduating students in network and desktop support services

such as program and network installation, troubleshooting and configuration.

1 2 3 4 5

Hardware Service Technology (refers to the knowledge on installation, configuration, and upgrading,

diagnosing, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, safety, and

environmental issues)

Operating System Technologies (pertains to the knowledge on Operating system fundamentals, installation,

configuration, and upgrade, diagnosing and troubleshooting, networks)

Networking (focuses on the knowledge on media and topologies, protocols and standards,

network implementation and network support)

110

This section will determine the level of expertise as perceived by an IT graduating students in

AMACC-Davao in terms of skills.

Please put a check mark on the number from 1 to 5 indicating your perceived level of skills from ―no

capacity ‖ represented by ―1‖ to ―very high level of capacity,‖ represented by ―5‖.

1 – No Capacity 2 – Fair Level of Capacity 3 – Moderate Level of Capacity 4 – High Level of Capacity 5 – Very High Level of Capacity

For questions or further information, please contact Joseph Elmer G. Nova1, mobile phone 09276173500.

Directions

Programming Concentration This section focuses on the skill competency of an IT professional to appropriately apply programming

knowledge.

1 2 3 4 5 Ability to develop programs using structured programming language concepts

such as object-oriented programming and event-driven style

Ability to apply the process of algorithm and structured code development Ability to develop advanced data structures in a structured programming

language

Ability to write robust programs (error handlers, debugging and testing Ability to document technical associated with software development Ability to demonstrate knowledge of software maintenance

NETWORK MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION This section pertains to the skill competency of an IT professional in administering network system.

1 2 3 4 5 Ability to demonstrate advanced knowledge of the Internet Ability to analyze the computer network site environment Ability to differentiate computer architecture and processor types Ability to classify basic network classifications and topologies Ability to identify common network computing platforms Ability to differentiate LAN physical media Ability to demonstrate basic knowledge of connectivity devices Ability to maintain security requirements Ability to verify and configure network protocols Ability to install basic system architectures

111

Ability to demonstrate basic telecommunications and interconnection of

networks

Ability to differentiate and recognize WAN protocols Ability to identify and demonstrate network connectivity basics Ability to describe LAN switching Ability to perform network installation procedures Ability to perform network operation procedures Ability to perform network system maintenance

INTERACTIVE MEDIA CONCENTRATION This section refers to the skill competency of an IT professional in designing and creating interactive

animations.

1 2 3 4 5 Ability to apply design principles Ability to design layouts, user interface, navigation scheme Ability to create computer graphics using graphics software programs Ability to apply animation techniques Ability to identify the basic principles of animation Ability to animate characters Ability to create 3-D animation its basic principles of animation Ability to create 3-D in animating characters Ability to manipulate images Ability to create static web page design Ability to apply static web page with advanced elements Ability to combine elements to produce interactive multimedia

INFORMATION SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE CONCENTRATION This section measures the skill competency of an IT professional in providing support services in computer

system.

1 2 3 4 5

Ability to Install, configure and upgrade hardware technology Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot associated with each component,

problems and finding the most likely cost

Ability to identify and differentiate operating systems Ability to install and configure and upgrade of an OS Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot Ability to interpret the meaning of common error codes and startup messages

from the boot process

Ability to distinguish motherboards, processors and memory Ability to identify printer technology, interfaces Ability to recognize common printer problems and techniques used to resolve Ability to apply basic networking Ability to identify network implementation Ability to troubleshoot network support

112

Appendix C

Employment Attributes Survey Questionnaire for the

Information Technology Graduating Students of AMACC-Davao

PERSONAL QUALITIES Excellent Very

Good

Good Poor Very

Poor

Can easily adapt to a new

environment

To examine in detail with careful or

critical attention

With strong commitment or

dedication

Cooperative towards work

Creativeness and innovativeness

Willingness to make decisions, even

in the face of complexities or

uncertainty

Reliability

Consistency of actions, expectations

and outcomes

Ability to initiate things or actions for

improvement

Self-awareness

Punctuality

Working well under pressure and

against opposition

Eager or interested to learn new

things

Work ethics

CORE SKILLS

Can communicate clearly both in

written and verbal form

Can comprehend information in the

forms of visual messages like graphs,

diagrams or graphs

Respond to written and verbal or

visual messages to fully ensure

effective communication

Commercial awareness

Ethical issues

Updated and can manipulate with the

latest communication technologies

113

Can execute mathematical operations

accurately

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Time management and ability to use

the available resources effectively to

achieve goals

Can work with minimal supervision?

Work done accurately

Can assess, identify and evaluate

problems

Apply a systematic approach to

resolve problems

Recognize thinking skills to

anticipate and solve problems

Self-assessment to improve and to set

learning goals

Search for better and learning

opportunities

Accept criticism constructively

Respect diverse opinions, values and

beliefs of others

Likes to work in a team

SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE

Wide range or scope of knowledge

Understanding concepts

Practical application of knowledge

Advancement of the latest

information

THANK YOU!