CURRICULUM RELEVANCE ON GRADUATE CAREER: A TRACER STUDY OF THE GRADUATES OF CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY-TANZA CAMPUS

Author: Melona I. Saquin

ABSTRACT

The study determined the relevance of the curriculum to the graduates’ careers. It specifically aimed to: determine the socio-demographic profile of the participants in terms of age, sex, present job level, type of industry employed, employment status, tenure of service, monthly income, number of months/years it took them to land a job after graduation and higher studies they pursue after college; identify the difficulties encountered seeking for a job; identify the graduates’ ratings to the following skills gained from their respective curriculum that has relevance to their present career; and identify the participants’ perception in the skills that need enhancement in the curriculum.

The study used a descriptive research design to describe the above-mentioned socio-demographic profile of the participants, difficulties encountered seeking a job, skills gained by the graduates from their respective curriculum, and the perceived skills that need training and development. The data were gathered from 200 Cavite State University – Tanza Campus graduates from 2016 to 2020.

As a result, the participants belong to the age of 24-29 years old and are female. Currently in rank and file level in terms of the level of position in their present job in various industries regardless of the degree they have earned. Specifically, the business process outsourcing and manufacturing industries are seen to be the top choices of the participants for their employment. Furthermore, most of the participants are holding a regular/permanent position with 1-2 years of experience and has monthly income ranging from 20,001-30,001. In terms of the length of period, before they got a job, it took those 1-6 months before landing a job. There is also a significant number of graduates who opted not to pursue higher education. Most of the graduates encountered all difficulties in seeking a job. Specifically, the limited professional network gave the graduates difficulty the most in seeking for a job. In terms of the graduates’ self-assessed ratings of skills gained from their respective curricula relevant to their careers, it was revealed that all the skills provided are moderately relevant to the graduates’ careers. Nevertheless, information technology and research skills are the skills that have the most relevance to the present career of graduates. This result implies that most of the graduates recognized that the given skills in their respective curriculum provided them with the necessary knowledge and skills that could be beneficial in their present careers. Lastly, based on the assessment of the participants on the skills that need to be enhanced in the curriculum, problem-solving skill must be enhanced as it helps graduates to cope with the industry requirement easily if this skill is acquired before graduating.

Keywords: curriculum relevance, graduates’ career, tracer study, graduates’ skills

REFERENCES

  • Bueno, D. (2017). Ascertaining the curriculum relevance of the graduate school through tracer study in a Philippine Private Higher Education Institution. Retrieved from https://philair.ph/index.php/jpair/article/view/502/1366?fbclid=IwAR2UcEXrcL9oC sYaHe0rLXqgsqCrqCn93VbZmxXai0UHWs49_RMcG-CzVAk
  • Corominas, E., Saurina, C., and Villar, E. The match between university education and graduate labour market outcomes (education-job match): an analysis of three graduate cohorts in Catalonia.Retrieved from http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/322167
  • Cudis, C. (2019). Labor, employer sectors unite vs. job mismatch. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074716
  • Hollings, Y. & Chester, A. (2019). Professional networking for undergraduate students: a scaffolded approach. Retrieved from
  • https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0309877X.2020.1744543?fbclid=Iw AR3p0oiDvb7-3tXtZEpiD4FbN1Iy4NP7i5WTAUVoCARtf4ZumpaUYewo6g4
  • International Bureau of Education of Education – Unesco. (2022). Curriculum relevance. Retrieved from    http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/glossary-curriculum- terminology/c/curriculum-relevance
  • International Labour Organization. (2019). Skills and job mismatches in low-and middle income countries. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/skills/pubs/WCMS_726816/lang–en/index.htm
  • Jovovic, M., Duraskovic, J. and Radovic, M. (2017). The mismatch between the labour market and the education system in montenegro: implications and possible solutions. Retrieved from https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/270786
  • Ramirez, T., Cruz, L. & Alcantara, N. (2014). Tracer study of RTU graduates: an analysis. Retrieved       from https://www.academia.edu/14727167/TRACER_STUDY_OF_RTU_GRADUATE S_AN_ANALYSIS?fbclid=IwAR07Q_ieA8hqpswiVO6qFvLTM_VMs_NFo2ORr91 kyLGBkVFiiJOaiAqLX38#:~:text=Thelma%20L.,.%20Alcantara%2C