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EMPLOYERS’ VS GRADUATES’ PERCEPTION ON EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS POSSESSION OF THE
GRADUATES: A CASE STUDY OF APPLIED SCIENCE GRADUATES
thinking. Reforms in the university system Intelligence Agency (CIA), Sri Lanka ranks
will support for alleviate the mismatch 46 th with a comparatively low
between the skills of graduates and the unemployment rate of 4.5%. The Central
requirements of the labor market, which can Bank provides the provisional value of 4.7%
help reduce graduate unemployment. Hence (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2016), which is
the research problem can be narrowed as the little higher than the above value.
perceptions of employers relating to
graduates’ employability skills and the The most cases of unemployment in
perception of graduates’ relating to their the country are voluntary, as a result of the
own employability skills. The objectives of unemployed waiting for “good” job
this study is to develop an employability openings and being unwilling to take on
skills model, and identify whether there are readily available “bad” jobs (Fonseka,
any differences in perceptions of employers 2010). The unemployment total (% of total
and graduates with regard to the labor force) in Sri Lanka declined to 4.2% in
employability skills inherent in graduates. 2011 from 4.9% in 2010, the lowest level
recorded thus far. Its highest value over the
2 LITERATURE REVIEW past 25 years was 14.70 in 1991 (The world
Fact book, 2012). While the unemployment
The term Employability has many
definitions and in the literature various skills rate has continued to decline, graduate
have been identified as employability skills. unemployment remains high and it was
The core definition of employability is the about 5.8% of total unemployment in 2014
(Ministry of skills development and
acquisition of attributes (knowledge, skills, vocational training, 2015). This may be due
and attitudes) that make graduates more to the reason that graduates leave
likely to be successful in their selected universities without sufficient skills,
occupations (whether paid employment or attitudes and understanding that are required
not) (Glossary of quality research to enter the job market. All most all the
international, 2012). It is about learning and graduates possess the ‘technical skills’ or
the emphasis is less on ‘employ’ and more appropriate academic qualifications for a
on ‘ability’. In essence, the emphasis is on job. However they appear as to lack the soft
developing critical, reflective abilities, with skills to convert knowledge into a
a view to empowering and enhancing the profession.
learner (Centre for Research and Evaluation,
2006). It is a common argument that there is
a skills contradiction owing to the education
In Sri Lanka employability is not only system not producing the skills the labor
about earning a living, but is intrinsically
linked to the aspirations of young people, market needs. Especially with respect to the
which is in turn linked to social status and educated unemployed, there is a conflict
social mobility (Report of the Presidential between the desired employment and the
Commission on Youth, 1990 cited in YEN- available employment opportunities and a
NAP Sri Lanka, 2006). Employers prefer conflict between the capacities and skills of
employees with not only relevant education available job opportunities. Most graduate
and training, but also those who are resist accepting jobs they feel are below
motivated. Moreover, more educated and their dignity. They may even prefer to stay
skilled labor force contributes to higher unemployed till they get what they consider
productivity and economic growth. is a good job. This mismatch between
Unemployment in Sri Lanka is not a new expectations from their education and skills
phenomenon. The unemployment rate in Sri needed to available jobs is an important
Lanka is not favorable when compared with factor in creating unemployment among the
other countries in the world. On a list of graduate. The need of soft skills in private
countries ranked in order of their rate of sector employment compounds this
unemployment in the World Fact book problem.
(2016) produced by the United State Central
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