A survey on students’ knowledge on employability skills

The paper focuses on students’ knowledge on employability skills. A total of 24 diploma students involved in this exploratory study and they answered a set of questionnaires with five questions distributed to them. Convenient sampling was used in the survey. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse data gathered from the survey. The findings show that respondents knew the skills they needed to advance and thrive in the workplace. Among important skills needed are good communication skills, decision making and problem-solving skills, IT skills, multi-tasking skills, critical thinking skills and professionalism in performing work. To educate these students for their future careers, classroom activities and lessons must specifically address workplace skills. The study's results are also consistent with Yorke and Knight's employability theory, which holds that graduates are more likely to land a job and succeed in their chosen fields if they have a list of accomplishments that encompass knowledge, abilities, and personal qualities. Therefore, by placing a strong emphasis on helping students to develop their metacognitive abilities, and increase their self-esteem, universities can prepare students to become more employable.