Employability Skills among MARA Skills Training Institute Students in Malaysia

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the level of employability skills among students of IKM. This is a survey research. There were about 436 final year students from 13 IKM were chosen as a sample of this research. The data was collected by questionnaires which were adapted from Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). Descriptive analyses and inferences such as ANOVA, chi-square test and t-test were used to answer the research questions. The overall findings indicated that the employability skills among IKM students were average (M=3.86, SP=0.36) with basic skills (M=3.84, SP=0.48), thinking skills (M=3.81, SP=0.47), source skills (M=3.79, SP=0.49, information skills (M=3.74, SP=0.58), interpersonal skills (M=3.95, SP=0.51), system and technology skills (M=3.78, SP=0.67) and personal quality (M=4.13, SP=0.53). The research findings showed that there were significant differences between employability skills and courses taken [F(4,431)=3.041, p0.05]. The findings also showed that there were significant differences between employability skills for basic skills [t(434)=-2.532, p<0.05] and information skills and gender [t(434)=-2.127, p<0.05]. The study suggests that Technical and Vocational Education Department should incorporate employability skills in the student’s vocational curriculum to meet employer and industry’s demand in order to create self awareness among students in various fields. These employability skills will make them more prepared to enter world of work. The institutions and industries should collaborate to ensure the male and female trainees in vocational fields will be more productive and of high quality workers

Employability skills among the students of technical and vocational training centers in Malaysia

The purpose of this research is to investigate the level of employability skills among the students of a technical and vocational training institutions. There are about 436 final year students from the institution were chosen as a sample of this research. The data was collected by questionnaires which was adapted from Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). Descriptive analysis and inferences such as ANOVA, and t-test were used to analyzed the data. This finding showed that the majority of the respondents are male. Most of them pursuing education in Certificate of Skills in one of these five area of specializations: art and building, electric, electronics, automotive and mechanical. The finding indicated that the employability skills among students were average. The findings also shown that there was a significant difference between employability skills and area of specializations. There were significant difference between employability skills for basic skills and informational skills and gender. The study suggests that Technical and Vocational Educational Department should provide a curriculum which includes employment element skills which are needed by the employers. The institutions and the industry should also create a compact joint-venture for students need in order to produce higher quality workers