There is a constant lamentation by employers that graduates do not have the necessary skills that they are looking for in employees. Hence, this study investigated the final-year students’ perception of their graduateness and work readiness using graduate attributes. Understanding graduate work readiness and graduateness from the students’ perception is important as this can inform different stakeholders in the ‘triple helix’ of the institutions, the government, and the employers. A quantitative strategy with a survey was employed. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The research hypotheses were tested using multiple regression (stepwise) analysis. Four hundred (400) questionnaires were distributed, and three hundred and fifty (350) were returned at an 87.5 % response rate. Out of these questionnaires, 259 were useful for analysis. The result of the study showed that participants believed that they possessed all the graduate attributes as indicated. Except for goal-directed behaviour (GDB), the rest of the graduate attributes have a strong relationship with work readiness. The study is in line with the Learning and Teaching Strategy (LTS) 2020-2025 of the participating universities. The framework proposed in this study covers the three-tier set of graduate attributes as proposed and conceptualised in the university LTS 2020-2025: Scholarship, global citizenship, lifelong learning, as well as other attributes that signify work readiness.

Authors:
Beatrice Ngulube, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Appolonia Ilorah, Tshwane university of Technology, South Africa

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Beatrice Ngulube is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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