Conceptualization, Measure Development and Empirical Assessment of Career Oriented Attitudes and Employability of Technology Graduates

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to develop a theoretical framework of career oriented attitudes (COAs) and employability of technology graduates from Indian institutions and also to develop scales to measure the same. Secondly, in this study, ( a) the existing levels of such attitudes (viz., career-task involvement, career-goal sensitivity, career-purpose social networking and career-linked self-efficacy) and competitive strength for employability (CSEMP) have been measured and ( b) the impact of such career oriented attitudes on competitive strength for employability of those graduates has been assessed. The two scales were administered to 222 technology graduates from three different segments of selected technology institutions. Career-purpose social networking was found very strong and the other three attitudes as well as CSEMP were found strong among the technology graduates. Correlation analysis shows that all the four attitudes are correlated with each other and regression analysis reveals that such attitudes have positive impact on Competitive Strength for Employability of the Indian technology graduates. The theoretical framework presented in this article and the measures developed for COAs and CSEMP are significant value addition to the body of knowledge in the organization and management area.

Developing career management competencies among undergraduates and the role of work-integrated learning

“…Demographic influence on the development of career management competencies is under explored (Jain and Jain 2013), particularly for groups other than established professionals and managers (Zhang 2010). This prompts our third research objective, assessing the variation in career management competencies by individual characteristics.…”

“…Policies and practices to produce employable graduates have typically emphasised the development of non-technical skills (Holmes 2013), such as communication, self-management, self-awareness and problem solving (AAGE 2013). However, the changing nature of graduate careers, reflecting trends in organisational restructuring and the emphasis on individual responsibility for career development (Jain and Jain 2013), have acted to influence what constitutes a work-ready graduate and increases the pressure on HE providers to produce graduates who are both adequately skilled but also adept at making informed career choices, navigating a range of job opportunities and articulating their strengths and abilities in a highly competitive labour market (Coetzee and Beukes 2010). University-wide efforts in fostering graduate employability must therefore extend to the development of career management competencies.…”

Career management attitudes among business undergraduates

“…Despite the significant attention paid to career change in recent years, Jain and Jain (2013) argue career attitudes remain relatively underexplored. This represents a notable deficit in research as, for individuals, awareness of one's own career orientation is important for making informed career decisions and, for recruiters, appreciation of both individual and pervasive career orientation is critical for the effective recruitment, management and retention of talent (Segers et al, 2008).…”

“…Career attitudes among undergraduates. Jain and Jain (2013) suggest that new graduates correspond to the exploration stage of Cron's (1984) four career stages: exploration, establishment, maintenance and disengagement. They argue new graduates' attitudes are transferred from their university experience and will affect job performance during this and the establishment stages.…”

Maturity Model for Supporting Graduates’ Early Careers Within Higher Education Institutions

“…A more extensive definition from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) recognizes employability as "a set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace-to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy" (CBI, 2009, p. 8). In addition, different theoretical models on employability indicate that it is usually a combination of both individual and institutional factors that affect graduates' employability potential (Dacre Pool & Sewell, 2007;European Commission, 2011, p. 4;Jain & Jain, 2013;Knight & Yorke, 2002).…”