PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(2): 5792-5795 ISSN: 00333077

A Tracer Study on the Employability of Information Technology Graduates

of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Tagudin Campus
George R. Villanueva Jr.1, Lito W. Binay-an2
1
College of Arts and Sciences, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College
2
College of Teacher Education, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College
Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Email:1geovilla2576@ispsc.edu.ph,2mistrotolits@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to examine the employability of the Information Technology graduates of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College -
Tagudin Campus in the Philippines. A survey questionnaire was administered to the graduates from the year 2012 to 2016 (n = 152). In general,
about 53 percent of those who participated in the survey were employed while the rest were employed but stopped (26 percent) and never
employed (21 percent). Although most of the graduates were employed, many of them are in jobs that are not related to their course. The main
reasons identified for those who stopped from their work include end-of-contract, starting pay is too low, and plans to seek jobs abroad. The
graduates' employment barriers include lack of work experience, professional eligibility, and intent to seek employment abroad. More than 50
percent recommended that the computer facilities used by the IT students should be upgraded to improve the employability of the IT graduates.

Keywords
employability;information technology;graduates; tracer sttudy

Article Received: 10 August 2020, Revised: 25 October 2020, Accepted: 18 November 2020

Introduction continued to emphasize the importance for the graduates to

possess the required mix of these skills [6,7].
There are several motives for pursuing higher education. For To align theory and reality in the curriculum, the
some, it is a stepping stone towards a decent career and the Commission and Higher Education (CHED) in the
chance to experience a different way of life. However, Philippines has mandated universities and colleges to have
finishing higher education is not a guarantee because an industry relationship. Although many institutions have
education institutions are often criticized by employers for adopted the principle of academe-industry partnership in the
not preparing the graduates against those required to be Philippines, both private and public, job mismatch remains a
competitive in a job setting [1,2]. Employers expect critical concern. According to the study of Moya [8], there
graduates to have technical and discipline competencies are three leading causes of jobs-skills mismatch among the
from their degree and possess a broad range of graduates: 1) weak labor-market information systems; 2)
employability skills who can work flexibly and intelligently job seeker’s career preference is no longer in-demand; and
in the organization [3]. 3) inadequate preparation in terms of education, training,
In the context of higher education, employability is and guidance.
characterized as a set of skills, expertise, and personal To address the job mismatch and enhance the graduates’
qualities that make an individual more employable and employability, particularly in the field of Information
competitive in their chosen occupations, which benefits Technology (IT), CHED has embedded on-the-job training
themselves, the community, and the economy [4]. Globally, (OJT) in the Philippines’ IT curriculum. The internship aims
higher education institutions are evaluating the approaches to provide IT students with an opportunity to complement
they use to increase students’ employability and are taking their formal learning with real industry settings, acquire soft
numerous steps to grow and enhance them. Talley [5] re- skills, and develop professional work ethics [9]. Holmes
emphasized the importance of higher education in preparing [10] noted that collaboration between HEIs and employers
students for the world of work. Higher education needs to are important in promoting work-based learning and
review and further develop the opportunities it makes producing professional skills which they need in order to be
available to its students to consider entrepreneurship and successful in their fields.
self-employment as an option upon graduation. Despite the inclusion of the internship into the Information
In the Philippines, the educational attainment of the Filipino Technology Education (ITE) curriculum, its implementation
population has steadily increased in recent decades, but has some shortcomings. The study of Verecio [11] stated
while the country is regionally successful, issues of skills that OJT students were deployed to workplaces that are not
shortage were the primary reason why vacancies were related to their specialization; thus, the OJT students do not
difficult to fill in 2012. Similarly, based on the data acquire the technical knowledge within their industry. Also
commissioned by the World Bank Enterprise Survey, firms reported in the study is the limited number of IT-related
disclosed that socio-behavioral skills, such as managerial, sectors that are available in the region, which causes the
leadership, interpersonal and effective communication skills OJT students to non-related IT industry.
are difficult to find in potential employees. Employers have In this context, this study aimed to determine the
employability of the IT graduates of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic

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State College (ISPSC), Tagudin Campus from academic Table 2. Employment Status
year 2011 to 2016. These graduates are considered the Employment Status Frequency Percentage
pioneer batch since the campus offered an IT course. They Presently employed 80 53
have also experienced in-campus and off-campus on-the-job Employed but stopped 40 26
training from various establishments in the region. Never employed 32 21
Further, this study sought the recommendations of the Total 152 100%
graduates on how to improve the competencies and skills of
the students to enhance their long-term employability. As shown in Table 3, of those who were presently
employed, more than half (52.5 percent) indicated that their
Research Methods job was not related to their course, while the rest (47.5
percent) indicated that their work was related. In a study
The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A research conducted by Montt [14], a field-of-study mismatch occurs
questionnaire patterned from previous trace studies was when a worker trained in a specific field works in another.
administered to the IT graduates from year 2012 to 2016. The research concluded that workers who cannot find
The survey aimed to assess the employability of the IT employment in their field-of-study might have to accept jobs
graduates of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC), below their qualifications or potential level. In effect, field-
Tagudin Campus. Specifically, it looked into the of-study mismatch entails lower-income, an increased risk
relatedness of the course to their work; the reasons why they of unemployment, and lower work satisfaction levels.
stopped from work; and why they are never employed. The Table 3. Relatedness of the Course to their Work
study also solicited the graduates’ opinions on the possible Indicators Frequency Percentage
strategies to enhance the competitive edge of ISPSC IT Related to course 38 47.5%
graduates. Not related to course 42 52.5%
ISPSC, Tagudin Campus is one of the six campuses of Total 80 100%
ISPCS located in the second district of Ilocos Sur. The
campus offers junior and senior high schools, ten The survey also asked the respondents the reasons why the
baccalaureate programs, and two master’s programs. It is once employed graduates stopped from their work. It is clear
mandated to provide professional and technical training both from the data in Table 4 the three leading reasons were end-
in the undergraduate and graduate courses. A total of 152 of-contract, starting pay is too low and plans to seek jobs
graduates completed the survey representing a 42.10 percent abroad. Unsurprisingly, the end-of-contract was the main
response rate. Table 1 summarizes the distribution of reason for ending their work since most of these employed
participants (n = 152) from year 2012 to 2016. graduates were temporary or contractual. Although end-of-
Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, and contract is allowed in the constitution under the Labor Code
rank were used to describe the employability of the of the Philippines, it must harness its young graduates’
graduates. potentials by providing sustainable and decent jobs because
Table 1. Distribution of Respondents they offer opportunities to boost the country’s economic
Year Graduated Frequency Percentage growth [15].
2012 22 14.47% Table 4. Reasons why the IT Graduates Stopped from their
2013 35 23.03% Work
2014 29 19.08% Reasons Frequency Rank
2015 36 23.68% End-of-contract 20 1
2016 30 19.74% Starting pay is too low 16 2
Total: 152 100% Have plans to seek jobs abroad 04 3
Total 40
Results And Analysis
As shown in Table 5, the three leading reasons why the IT
This section presents the data collected from the study. graduates were never employed were lack of experience,
As indicated in Table 2, of the total, about 53 percent were lack of professional eligibility, and plans to seek jobs
presently employed while the rest were employed but abroad. According to Lees [16], employers value graduates
stopped (26 percent) and never employed (21 percent). The who have an understanding of how businesses operate. HEIs
large number of employed graduates could be attributed to should well manage work experience opportunities for the
the high employment rate (94.5 percent) in the region in students through partnerships with employers to be
2016, which provides job opportunities even for fresh educationally valuable. Holmes [10] suggested that if work
graduates (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2016). experience is not a formal part of the degree program,
Alternatively, higher education needs to study and create students' tasks should promote work-based learning.
opportunities for the students to consider entrepreneurship Similarly, Knight and Yorke [17] noted that one way to
and self-employment as an option upon graduation so that increase graduates’ competitiveness in the labor market is
graduates do not rely on job vacancies (Moreland, 2006). to design job attachments into the degree programs. This
line of thought agrees with Abelha et al. [18] that
employability could be further improved by incorporating
work experience into the curriculum and by inviting
employers as guest lecturers in student activities.

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Table 5. Reasons why the IT Graduates were Never However, many of these graduates are into jobs not aligned
Emloyed to their field of specialization. The reasons for those who
Reasons Frequency Rank stopped from their work include end-of-contract, starting
Lack of work experience 21 1 pay is too low and plans to seek jobs abroad. The graduates'
Lack of professional eligibility 09 2 employment barriers include lack of work experience,
Have plans to seek jobs abroad 02 3 professional eligibility, and intent to seek employment
Total 32 abroad.
The institution should consider the recommendations of the
The respondents were asked to identify or suggest graduates such as improvement of the IT facilities used by
recommendations that they think will improve the IT the students, employing qualified and competent faculty,
graduates' employability. Table 6 shows the limiting the number of students per class, prioritizing the
recommendations of the graduates such as upgrading the faculty development, and updating of the curriculum of the
facilities, ‘employing competitive faculty, ‘limiting the course to improve the employability of the graduates.
number of students enrolled per class’, ‘prioritizing the
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