THE EFFECTS SOCIAL CAPITAL ATTRIBUTES ON THE EMPLOYABILITY READINESS AMONG ENGINEERING GRADUATES IN THE HIGH EDUCATION INSTITUTE’S IN OMAN
Keywords:
Social Capital Attributes, Employability Readiness, Engineering Graduates, High Education Institutes & Oman.
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Social Capital attributes on the employability readiness of the engineering graduates of the High Education Institutes in Oman. The study adopted a self-directed structured questionnaire was distributed to a sample of engineering students and graduates from a number of colleges and universities. The study used structural equation modelling (SEM) for analysed the collected data. The findings of the statistical analysis of the study showed the significant contribution of social activities in the attainment of teamwork, communication, proficiency of the English language, and problem-solving skills. As a result, the involvement of the graduates in social activities strongly influences the awareness of career information which in return affects positively graduates’ Readiness for Employability. Specifically, study findings showed Social capital attributes factor could have a high influence on the Readiness for Employability of the graduates in Oman when it is utilised effectively. Finally, the study’s implementations and recommendations could be transferred to the Gulf and Arab or other countries’ contexts having similar settings of HE systems and similar issues of skills gap and employability concern of their graduates.
References
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Allen, J., & De Weert, E. (2007). What do educational mismatches tell us about skill mismatches? A cross‐country analysis. European Journal of Education, 42(1), 59-73.
Anastasiu, L., Anastasiu, A., Dumitran, M., Crizboi, C., Holmaghi, A., & Roman, M. (2017). How to Align the University Curricula with the Market Demands by Developing Employability Skills in the Civil Engineering Sector. Education Sciences, 7(3), 74.
Arkoudis, S., Baik, C., Bexley, E., & Doughney, L. (2014). English language proficiency and employability framework. In: Melbourne: Centre for the Study of Higher Education.
Becker, G. S. (1962). Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis. Journal of political economy, 70(5, Part 2), 9-49.
Belwal, R., Priyadarshi, P., & Al Fazari, M. H. (2017). Graduate attributes and employability skills: Graduates’ perspectives on employers’ expectations in Oman. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(6), 814-827.
Bennett, D. (2020). Fostering equitable access to employability development through an institution-wide, in-curricular strategy. Student retention and success in higher education. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923-1937.
Craps, S., Pinxten, M., Saunders, G., Leandro Cruz, M., Gaughan, K., & Langie, G. (2017). Professional Roles and Employability of Future Engineers.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches: Sage publications.
de Janasz, S., Forret, M., Haack, D., & Jonsen, K. (2013). Family status and work attitudes: An investigation in a professional services firm. British Journal of Management, 24(2), 191-210.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies: Oxford University Press Oxford.
Evans, S. G., Davis, J., & Wheeler, M. (2017). An Analysis of School-to-Work Readiness. Saint Louis University,
Finch, D. J., Hamilton, L. K., Baldwin, R., & Zehner, M. (2013). An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability. Education+ Training, 55(7), 681-704.
Forret, M. L., & Dougherty, T. W. (2004). Networking behaviors and career outcomes: differences for men and women? Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior, 25(3), 419-437.
Gupta, T., Singh, A., & Kaushik, A. (2018). Placement Predict: A Review of Engineering Graduate Placement Statistics in India. International Journal of Engineering Science, 16381.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152.
Hair Jr, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Gudergan, S. P. (2017). Advanced issues in partial least squares structural equation modeling: saGe publications.
Holmes, D. W., Sheehan, M., Birks, M., & Smithson, J. (2018). Development of a competency mapping tool for undergraduate professional degree programmes, using mechanical engineering as a case study. European Journal of Engineering Education, 43(1), 126-143.
Holmes, L. (2013). Competing perspectives on graduate employability: possession, position or process? Studies in Higher Education, 38(4), 538-554.
Husain, M., Kumar, C. S., & Saritha, G. (2017). Role of the Teacher of English: Enhancing Employability Skills to Engineering Students. Competency, 4(12).
Jollands, M., Pocknee, C., Clarke, B., Grando, D., Hamilton, M., Smith, J., . . . Burton, L. (2015). Developing graduate employability through partnerships with industry and professional associations.
Lane, A. (2017). The systemic implications of constructive alignment of higher education level learning outcomes and employer or professional body based competency frameworks.
Leslie, L. L., & Brinkman, P. T. (1988). The Economic Value of Higher Education. American Council on Education/Macmillan Series on Higher Education: ERIC.
Lim, Y.-M., Lee, T. H., Yap, C. S., & Ling, C. C. (2016). Employability skills, personal qualities, and early employment problems of entry-level auditors: Perspectives from employers, lecturers, auditors, and students. Journal of Education for Business, 91(4), 185-192.
Manoharan, S., & Arockiam, K. (2017). A Study on the Influence of Domicile of Engineering Colleges and Competency Profile of Industrial Aspirants. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research (IJEMR), 7(3), 238-241.
Matherly, L. L., & Hodgson, S. (2014). Implementing Employment Quotas to Develop Human Resource Capital: A Comparison of Oman and the UAE. International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science, 2(7), 75-90.
McMahon, W. W. (2009). Higher learning, greater good: The private and social benefits of higher education: JHU Press.
Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591-609.
Mtawa, N., Fongwa, S., & Wilson-Strydom, M. (2019). Enhancing graduate employability attributes and capabilities formation: a service-learning approach. Teaching in Higher Education, 1-17.
Neisler, O., Clayton, D., Al-Barwani, T., Al Kharusi, H., & Al-Sulaimani, H. (2016). 21st century teacher education: Teaching, learning and assessment of critical thinking skills at Sultan Qaboos University. Redefining Teacher Education for the Post-2015 Era: Global Challenges and Best Practices, 77-95.
Okay-Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2014). Coping with career boundaries and boundary-crossing in the graduate labour market. Career Development International, 19(6), 668-682.
Okay–Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2015). Career Self–Management, Perceived Employability, and Employment Success during University–to–Work Transitions: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Perspective. Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi(2015 6 (107) Employability (Zatrudnialność)), 33-60.
Oliver, A. K. (2016). School Capital and Student Engagement: Does School Capital Matter? , University of Redlands,
Rahman, M. Z., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2019). The Influencing Factors on the Effectiveness of Foundation Training Programs: A Case Study of the Health Cadre Service in Bangladesh. International Journal of Business and Management Future, 3(2), 13-21.
Ramayah, T., Cheah, J., Chuah, F., Ting, H., & Memon, M. (2018). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using smartPLS 3.0. In An Updated Guide and Practical Guide to Statistical Analysis: Pearson.
Rothwell, A., Herbert, I., & Rothwell, F. (2008). Self-perceived employability: Construction and initial validation of a scale for university students. Journal of vocational behavior, 73(1), 1-12.
Schultz, T. (1963). The Economics Value of Education . New York and London. Columbia. In: University Press.
Slaughter, S., Taylor, B. J., & Rosinger, K. O. (2015). A critical reframing of human capital theory in US higher education. Critical approaches to the study of higher education: A practical introduction, 80-102.
Suleman, F. (2018). The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), 263-278.
Tran, T. T. (2019). GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY. Innovate higher education to enhance graduate employability: Rethinking the possibilities, 158.
Wong, S. P., Samsilah, R., Siaw, Y.-L., Sulaiman, T., & Ab Jalil, H. (2018). The Employability of Undergraduate Students in a Malaysian Higher Educational Institution. Educational Leader (Pemimpin Pendidikan), 6, 165-182.
Yang, H., Cheung, C., & Fang, C. C. (2015). An empirical study of hospitality employability skills: perceptions of entry-level hotel staff in China. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 27(4), 161-170.
Al-Azri, A. K. H. (2016). Academics', students', employers', and graduates' perceptions towards business management and administration undergraduate employability: implications for higher education and industry in Oman. Brunel University London
Al-Barwani, T., Chapman, D. W., & Ameen, H. (2009). Strategic brain drain: Implications for higher education in Oman. Higher Education Policy, 22(4), 415-432.
Al-Harthi, H. K. (2011). University student perceptions of the relationship between university education and the labour market in Egypt and Oman. Prospects, 41(4), 535-551.
Al-Lamki, S. M. (1998). Barriers to Omanization in the private sector: The perceptions of Omani graduates. International Journal of Human resource management, 9(2), 377-400.
Al-Lamki, S. M. (2006). The development of private higher education in the Sultanate of Oman: Perception and analysis. International Journal of Private Education, 1(1), 54-77.
Al-Mahrooqi, R. (2012). English Communication Skills: How Are They Taught at Schools and Universities in Oman? English Language Teaching, 5(4), 124-130.
Al-Mahrooqi, R., & Denman, C. (2018). English language proficiency and communicative competence in Oman: Implications for employability and sustainable development. In English Education in Oman (pp. 181-193): Springer.
Al-Mahrooqi, R., & Denman, C. J. (2016). Omani graduates’ English-language communication skills in the workforce: Employees’ perspectives. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 5(4), 172-182.
Al Hinai, M. R., Bhuiyan, A. B., & Husin, N. A. (2020a). AN EMPIRICAL REVIEW ON THE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND READINESS FOR EMPLOYABILITY AMONG THE ENGINEERING GRADUATES IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs). Indian Journal of Finance and Banking, 4(3), 8-25.
Al Hinai, M. R., Bhuiyan, A. B., & Husin, N. A. (2020b). THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF GENDER, CAREER, MORAL MINDSET ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND READINESS FOR EMPLOYABILITY AMONG ENGINEERING COLLEGES GRADUATES IN OMAN. International Journal of Accounting & Finance Review, 5(3), 16-30.
Al Hinai, M. R., Bhuiyan, A. B., & Husin, N. A. (2020c). Theoretical Review on The Graduate Attributes and The Readiness for Employability Among Engineering Graduates in The Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Oman. Indian Journal of Finance and Banking, 4(2), 130-139.
Allen, J., & De Weert, E. (2007). What do educational mismatches tell us about skill mismatches? A cross‐country analysis. European Journal of Education, 42(1), 59-73.
Anastasiu, L., Anastasiu, A., Dumitran, M., Crizboi, C., Holmaghi, A., & Roman, M. (2017). How to Align the University Curricula with the Market Demands by Developing Employability Skills in the Civil Engineering Sector. Education Sciences, 7(3), 74.
Arkoudis, S., Baik, C., Bexley, E., & Doughney, L. (2014). English language proficiency and employability framework. In: Melbourne: Centre for the Study of Higher Education.
Becker, G. S. (1962). Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis. Journal of political economy, 70(5, Part 2), 9-49.
Belwal, R., Priyadarshi, P., & Al Fazari, M. H. (2017). Graduate attributes and employability skills: Graduates’ perspectives on employers’ expectations in Oman. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(6), 814-827.
Bennett, D. (2020). Fostering equitable access to employability development through an institution-wide, in-curricular strategy. Student retention and success in higher education. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923-1937.
Craps, S., Pinxten, M., Saunders, G., Leandro Cruz, M., Gaughan, K., & Langie, G. (2017). Professional Roles and Employability of Future Engineers.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches: Sage publications.
de Janasz, S., Forret, M., Haack, D., & Jonsen, K. (2013). Family status and work attitudes: An investigation in a professional services firm. British Journal of Management, 24(2), 191-210.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies: Oxford University Press Oxford.
Evans, S. G., Davis, J., & Wheeler, M. (2017). An Analysis of School-to-Work Readiness. Saint Louis University,
Finch, D. J., Hamilton, L. K., Baldwin, R., & Zehner, M. (2013). An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability. Education+ Training, 55(7), 681-704.
Forret, M. L., & Dougherty, T. W. (2004). Networking behaviors and career outcomes: differences for men and women? Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior, 25(3), 419-437.
Gupta, T., Singh, A., & Kaushik, A. (2018). Placement Predict: A Review of Engineering Graduate Placement Statistics in India. International Journal of Engineering Science, 16381.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152.
Hair Jr, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Gudergan, S. P. (2017). Advanced issues in partial least squares structural equation modeling: saGe publications.
Holmes, D. W., Sheehan, M., Birks, M., & Smithson, J. (2018). Development of a competency mapping tool for undergraduate professional degree programmes, using mechanical engineering as a case study. European Journal of Engineering Education, 43(1), 126-143.
Holmes, L. (2013). Competing perspectives on graduate employability: possession, position or process? Studies in Higher Education, 38(4), 538-554.
Husain, M., Kumar, C. S., & Saritha, G. (2017). Role of the Teacher of English: Enhancing Employability Skills to Engineering Students. Competency, 4(12).
Jollands, M., Pocknee, C., Clarke, B., Grando, D., Hamilton, M., Smith, J., . . . Burton, L. (2015). Developing graduate employability through partnerships with industry and professional associations.
Lane, A. (2017). The systemic implications of constructive alignment of higher education level learning outcomes and employer or professional body based competency frameworks.
Leslie, L. L., & Brinkman, P. T. (1988). The Economic Value of Higher Education. American Council on Education/Macmillan Series on Higher Education: ERIC.
Lim, Y.-M., Lee, T. H., Yap, C. S., & Ling, C. C. (2016). Employability skills, personal qualities, and early employment problems of entry-level auditors: Perspectives from employers, lecturers, auditors, and students. Journal of Education for Business, 91(4), 185-192.
Manoharan, S., & Arockiam, K. (2017). A Study on the Influence of Domicile of Engineering Colleges and Competency Profile of Industrial Aspirants. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research (IJEMR), 7(3), 238-241.
Matherly, L. L., & Hodgson, S. (2014). Implementing Employment Quotas to Develop Human Resource Capital: A Comparison of Oman and the UAE. International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science, 2(7), 75-90.
McMahon, W. W. (2009). Higher learning, greater good: The private and social benefits of higher education: JHU Press.
Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591-609.
Mtawa, N., Fongwa, S., & Wilson-Strydom, M. (2019). Enhancing graduate employability attributes and capabilities formation: a service-learning approach. Teaching in Higher Education, 1-17.
Neisler, O., Clayton, D., Al-Barwani, T., Al Kharusi, H., & Al-Sulaimani, H. (2016). 21st century teacher education: Teaching, learning and assessment of critical thinking skills at Sultan Qaboos University. Redefining Teacher Education for the Post-2015 Era: Global Challenges and Best Practices, 77-95.
Okay-Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2014). Coping with career boundaries and boundary-crossing in the graduate labour market. Career Development International, 19(6), 668-682.
Okay–Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2015). Career Self–Management, Perceived Employability, and Employment Success during University–to–Work Transitions: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Perspective. Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi(2015 6 (107) Employability (Zatrudnialność)), 33-60.
Oliver, A. K. (2016). School Capital and Student Engagement: Does School Capital Matter? , University of Redlands,
Rahman, M. Z., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2019). The Influencing Factors on the Effectiveness of Foundation Training Programs: A Case Study of the Health Cadre Service in Bangladesh. International Journal of Business and Management Future, 3(2), 13-21.
Ramayah, T., Cheah, J., Chuah, F., Ting, H., & Memon, M. (2018). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using smartPLS 3.0. In An Updated Guide and Practical Guide to Statistical Analysis: Pearson.
Rothwell, A., Herbert, I., & Rothwell, F. (2008). Self-perceived employability: Construction and initial validation of a scale for university students. Journal of vocational behavior, 73(1), 1-12.
Schultz, T. (1963). The Economics Value of Education . New York and London. Columbia. In: University Press.
Slaughter, S., Taylor, B. J., & Rosinger, K. O. (2015). A critical reframing of human capital theory in US higher education. Critical approaches to the study of higher education: A practical introduction, 80-102.
Suleman, F. (2018). The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), 263-278.
Tran, T. T. (2019). GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY. Innovate higher education to enhance graduate employability: Rethinking the possibilities, 158.
Wong, S. P., Samsilah, R., Siaw, Y.-L., Sulaiman, T., & Ab Jalil, H. (2018). The Employability of Undergraduate Students in a Malaysian Higher Educational Institution. Educational Leader (Pemimpin Pendidikan), 6, 165-182.
Yang, H., Cheung, C., & Fang, C. C. (2015). An empirical study of hospitality employability skills: perceptions of entry-level hotel staff in China. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 27(4), 161-170.
Published
2021-11-29
How to Cite
Hinai, M. R. A., Bhuiyan, A. B., & Husin, N. A. (2021). THE EFFECTS SOCIAL CAPITAL ATTRIBUTES ON THE EMPLOYABILITY READINESS AMONG ENGINEERING GRADUATES IN THE HIGH EDUCATION INSTITUTE’S IN OMAN. International Journal of Business and Management Future, 6(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijbmf.v6i1.1463
Section
Research Paper/Theoretical Paper/Review Paper/Short Communication Paper
Copyright (c) 2021 Masoud Rashid Al Hinai, Abul Bashar Bhuiyan, Nor Azilah Husin
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