Employer Hiring Preferences in the Human Services

Curran, Laura; Mayers, Raymond Sanchez; Fulghum, Fontaine H.

doi:10.1080/23303131.2017.1375443

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Table 3 shows that the seven variables in this index are essential for students' employability as apparent from the stated mean value of 3.5, which is 80.94% of its maximum. This result is allied with the findings of Curran et al (2018) and Keiper et al (2019). Curran et al outlined that job search skills are extremely important, directly influencing the hiring process.…”

Section: Methods Of Data Analysissupporting

confidence: 89%

Employability skills from employers' perspectives in indigenous contexts: empirical evidence

Hossain

Ying

Briggs

et al. 2022

HESWBL

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PurposeThis paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in indigenous contexts.Design/methodology/approachThis study constructs the employability skills into six indexes from employers' perspective: reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills, job searching skills and indigenous cultural awareness. Mixed methods have been applied to this research: survey data are used for empirical analysis of the six indexes of employability skills; secondary sources of similar studies together with functional theory in education as a framework is adopted to explore the breadth and depth of employability skills requested by employers; indexing analysis is adopted to validate the necessity of developing such skills in indigenous contexts in Northern Manitoba.FindingsThe correlation analyses and mean values show that employers in Northern Manitoba take the six indexes as influential factors of students' employability. As such, the study indicates that Northern Manitoba employers consider employability in indigenous contexts as a combination of basic skills, professional requirements, soft skills and cultural awareness. The employers' attested employability is in line with the concept of the technical-function theory, which requires education to meet the demand for updated job skills due to a technological change. Moreover, Northern Manitoba employers' emphasis on indigenous cultural awareness as employability skills rationalizes the necessity to integrate indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in UCN and post-secondary institutes with similar attributes. It confirms that indigenous cultural awareness is required by employers in Northern Manitoba populated with indigenous communities. The research findings suggest that the functional theory of education might help UCN and similar institutions globally to offer programs that will reduce employment inequality.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is conducted among the employers in Northern Manitoba, and the indexes and their factors are designed to evaluate UCN students' employability in general.Practical implicationsThe outcomes of this paper can be applied as a parameter for upgrading educational strategies to integrate essential and professional employability skills such as reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills and job searching skills with indigenous cultural components into UCN curriculums and programs. It can be applied to other post-secondary institutes with similar attributes to enhance their students' employability. Furthermore, the research findings can be used as a guideline for UCN to tailor their programs for the job market locally and as references for post-secondary institutions with similar student compositions globally.Originality/valueThis paper provides empirical evidence from the employers' viewpoint to support the necessity of integrating essential and professional employability skills with indigenous cultural awareness into the curriculums and programs of UCN, a post-secondary institution in indigenous populated Northern Manitoba. Furthermore, it is also attested that employers consider indigenous cultural awareness as an influential factor of students' employability in indigenous contexts.

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Section: Methods Of Data Analysissupporting

confidence: 89%

Employability skills from employers' perspectives in indigenous contexts: empirical evidence

Hossain

Ying

Briggs

et al. 2022

HESWBL

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This research outcome is aligned with the findings of Liu et al (2014) in which they found that searching skills have positive impacts on job search interventions to obtain employment. The result is also consistent with the findings of Curran et al (2018), where he believes job searching skills to be important or extremely important, thus significantly influencing the hiring result. So, it can logically be argued that any initiatives toward improving the indicators of the "index of job searching skills" as well as enhancing students' job searching performance ultimately increase their employability.…”

Section: Employability Indexes In Indigenous Contextssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Venetia and Katherine (2010) used teamwork, enthusiasm, trustworthiness (dependability), subject-specific knowledge, commercial mindfulness, networking and negotiation skills and found a correlation amongst employers and graduates in terms of comparative priorities of these indicators (continued ) Liu et al (2014) found that the improved job searching skills, job searching selfefficiency and behaviours of job searching have positive impacts on the interventions of job searching and gaining an employment. Curran et al (2018) believed that resume and cover letter, reference and other variables are important or extremely important factor that significantly influence hiring. Pitan's (2016) findings indicated that students' agreement on their university education engages them to improve CV, written application, career counseling, job interviews and understanding career opportunities, internship and other indicators helpful for graduates to be employable.…”

Section: Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indexes of employability assets: a comprehensive tool for analyzing students' attitudes in Indigenous contexts

Hossain

Briggs

Ying

2020

HESWBL

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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the indexes of employability assets that affect students' employability in Indigenous contexts.Design/methodology/approachThe study restructures the indicators developed from the survey the authors did for the Vital Outcome Indicators for Community Engagement (VOICE) research project into six employability indexes. The six indexes are reading and comprehension, numeracy, technological mastery, contribution to organizational performance, job searching skills and cultural awareness. The study has applied mixed research method, which is the combination of survey and secondary data analyses.FindingsAll six indexes have impacts on students' employability in various degrees with a high level of internal consistency among the indicators. The regression analysis reveals that the technological mastery, reading and comprehension and numeracy indexes significantly influence students' contribution to the organizational performance. The results also show that cultural awareness has impacts on employability but students do not connect it to the required employability skills. Such disconnection of cultural awareness with employability skills justifies the necessity to integrate Indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in today's post-secondary education, particularly in the University College of the North (UCN), improving students' cultural knowledge, which, in return, enhances their employability in Indigenous contexts. The result is also applicable globally to countries which have large populations of Indigenous people such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Mexico and other regions where workplaces are set in Indigenous contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThe research survey was only conducted within students of UCN Thompson campus.Practical implicationsThe results of this paper can be used as a guideline to adjust teaching/learning strategies with a focus on integrating Indigenous cultural components into UCN courses and programs, including other institutions with similar attributes to enhance Indigenous students' employability. UCN tri-council, faculty, community leaders, researchers, government and NGOs can also use the outcome of this paper to articulate polices that enhance students' employability. The outcome and strategic implication of the study can also be applicable to any institutions in a global Indigenous context.Originality/valueThe authors of the paper provide empirical evidence from the indexes of the employability assets including their indicators affecting students' employability. It is attested that cultural awareness index have impacts on students' employability in Indigenous context.

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Employer Hiring Preferences in the Human Services

Cited by 2 publications

References 22 publications

Employability skills from employers' perspectives in indigenous contexts: empirical evidence

Employability skills from employers' perspectives in indigenous contexts: empirical evidence

Indexes of employability assets: a comprehensive tool for analyzing students' attitudes in Indigenous contexts

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