Employability Competencies free essay sample

Evidence for Employer Satisfaction and Employer Expectations of Open University Malaysia’s (OUM) Graduates Abstract It cannot be denied that human capital development is a vital element in any country’s economic development. In this respect, higher education, which equips future employees with the necessary knowledge and skills, is often deemed an important tool for economic growth. As emphasized by the Minister of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia, â€Å"Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer sufficient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. Hence, Higher Education Institutions must be responsive to these changes†. (Nordin, 2009, p. 2). Meanwhile according to Quek (2008), the extent to which graduates possess relevant competencies (i. e. nowledge, skills and attributes) which meet new job demands in a changing work environment affects one’s employability. We will write a custom essay sample on Employability Competencies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This study aimed to: (1) Find out the level of importance attributed by employers to the various employability competencies; (2) Find out the extent to which the employers are satisfied with OUM graduates competencies; (3) Examine the extent to which the level of employer satisfaction differs from the level of importance attributed to the competencies; and (4) Examine the strengths and opportunities for improvement of OUM graduates with regard to employability competencies. Role of Open Distance Learning in Advancing Lifelong Learning: †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lifelong learning is also about providing second chances to update basic skills and to offer learning opportunities at more advanced levels. †¢All this means that formal systems of provision need to become much more open and flexible, so that such opportunities can truly be tailored to the needs of the learner, or indeed the potential learner. Likert-type scale for Importance Satisfaction †¢Sample: 290 / 1088 employers (Response rate = 27. 41%) †¢3 dimensions examined: Knowledge Understanding, General Attributes, and Generic Skills Conclusions OUM’s ODL Bachelor degree programmes have been successful in producing graduates who meet the expectations of their employers with regard to employability competencies In order to adequately equip a workforce which meets the challenges and demands of the new age labour market, â€Å"the nexus between output of graduates and industry needs, the university and the workplace, and the higher education system and the lifelong learning system needs to be further strengthened†.