Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the employer's perspectives on the employability of undergraduate students participating in the work-integrated education (WIE) program and to identify the qualities (performance factors) that are deemed important for students to possess in the workplace. Therefore, relevant training can be enhanced in the curriculum design.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyzed 575 employer assessments of Business School’s undergraduate students participating in the WIE program at a university in Hong Kong from 2019 to 2022. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify the skills and performance items that are crucial factors of employability from the perceptions of employers.

Findings – Data results demonstrate that transferable skills, intercultural adaptation, and attendance performance are crucial employers' focus on the dimensions of student performance.

Research implications - Through the comprehensive analysis of employability, it derives key elements that are significant from the perspective of employers. It also provides suggestions, from both the student and faculty perspectives, on the employment readiness required to meet employer expectations.

Originality/value - The authors explore employability from the employer's perspective through WIE program for the past several years, conduct analysis and understand the results based on the actual situation to conclude implications.

Authors:
King Shuen Lo, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Yue Han Lu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Kingship Lo is currently an Instructor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Her current project is to explore the employers’ perspective on the employability of students participating in the work-integrated education program in HK.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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