Perceived Employability of Students Studying in Higher Education

Abstract

Nowadays, perceived employability has gained significant attention due to the competitive nature of the employment sector, which now requires individuals to possess not only academic qualifications but also relevant skills and competencies. These skills and competencies help students to align their academic pursuits with their career goals, thereby boosting their confidence in their ability to secure employment after completing their higher education. The present study aims to examine the perceived employability of higher education students. A quantitative approach was used, and 302 university students of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Uttarakhand, India were selected as samples for data analysis. A normative survey research method was adopted to investigate the influence of stream (Arts & Humanities and STEM), level of study (UG and PG) and course (Traditional and Professional) of university students on their perceived employability. The perceived Employability Scale developed by K. P. Naachimuthu was used to measure the perceived employability of students. The study findings identify that most university students have a high level of perception towards employability. Arts & Humanities students and professional courses students have greater perceived employability as compared to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and traditional courses students respectively. There is no difference in perception towards employability among under graduation (UG) and post graduation (PG) students.