Theoretical Review on The Graduate Attributes and The Readiness for Employability Among Engineering Graduates in The Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Oman

Keywords: Graduate Attributes, Readiness for Employability, Engineering Graduates & Oman.

Abstract

The Omani higher education system has enlarged noticeably since 1970 both in the number of students and in the infrastructure.  As a result, there has been a big investment to provide quality higher educational institutes capable of providing suitable graduates to fulfill the requirements of the labor. The mean purpose of the higher education system is to provide the nation with the quality education that meets the requirements of the 21st century with graduates having readiness for employability skills and competencies. However, The skills gap between HEIs graduates and industrial requirements in Oman and other regional Gulf countries is seen as one of the most important factors that affect the employment of graduates in the private sector because the graduate readiness for employability did not consider the graduate attributes factors which influence graduate readiness for employability. Therefore, the main objective of the current study is to determine the effects of the graduates’ attributes on the readiness for employability and justified with existing theories in the higher educational institutes in Oman. Specifically, this study intends to determine the influencing factors that contribute to the readiness of Engineering Graduates for Employability in the Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Oman. The study reviews the current literature on the effects of graduates’ attributes on the readiness for employability especially for Omani engineering graduates as the main source of information. The study is designed to determine and analyze graduates’ attributes factors and elements. The literature utilized for this study covers the latest literature (from 2013 to 2019) extracted from Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Scopus. The four main keywords used were ‘higher education’, ‘graduate attributes ‘or ‘readiness for employability, and ‘skills gap and justify with most relevant theories in the particular area’. The study summarized the empirical review on the graduate attributes which analyses the effects of graduate attributes on the graduates’ readiness for employability that will be considered as an empirical study on the graduates of the engineering colleges in Oman. The study explored review findings on the graduate readiness for employability framework from different graduates’ attributes and provisions perspectives. The results of the study will fill the gap in understanding the main graduate attributes factors affecting the attainment of graduates’ readiness for employability skills which has justified with most relevant theories in the particular. The study also recommends a policy guideline for ensuring of readiness of engineering graduates for employability in the HEIs in Oman.

Author Biographies

Masoud Rashid Al Hinai, University of Selangor

PhD Research Fellow, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Selangor, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Abul Bashar Bhuiyan, University of Selangor

Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Selangor, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Nor Azilah Husin, University of Selangor

Deputy Dean & Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Selangor, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

References

Adams, W. K., Reid, S., LeMaster, R., McKagan, S. B., Perkins, K. K., Dubson, M., & Wieman, C. E. (2008). A study of educational simulations part I-Engagement and learning. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(3), 397-419.

Adnan, Y. M., Daud, M. N., Alias, A., & Razali, M. N. (2017). Importance of soft skills for graduates in the real estate programmes in Malaysia. Journal of Surveying, Construction, and Property, 3(2).

Al-Azri, A. K. H. (2016). Academics', students', employers', and graduates' perceptions towards business management and administration undergraduate employability: implications for higher education and industry in Oman. Brunel University London,

Al-Harthi, H. K. (2011). University student perceptions of the relationship between university education and the labor market in Egypt and Oman. Prospects, 41(4), 535-551.

Al-Lamki, S. M. (1998). Barriers to Omanization in the private sector: The perceptions of Omani graduates. International Journal of Human resource management, 9(2), 377-400.

Al-Lamki, S. M. (2006). The development of private higher education in the Sultanate of Oman: Perception and analysis. International Journal of Private Education, 1(1), 54-77.

Al-Mahrooqi, R. (2012). English Communication Skills: How Are They Taught at Schools and Universities in Oman? English Language Teaching, 5(4), 124-130.

Al-Mahrooqi, R., & Denman, C. J. (2016). Omani graduates’ English-language communication skills in the workforce: Employees’ perspectives. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 5(4), 172-182.

Al Shobaki, M. J., & Naser, S. S. A. (2017). The Role of the Practice of Excellence Strategies in Education to Achieve Sustainable Competitive Advantage to Institutions of Higher Education-Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at Al-Azhar University in Gaza a Model.

Allen, J., & De Weert, E. (2007). What do educational mismatches tell us about skill mismatches? A cross‐country analysis. European Journal of Education, 42(1), 59-73.

Anastasiu, L., Anastasiu, A., Dumitran, M., Crizboi, C., Holmaghi, A., & Roman, M. (2017). How to Align the University Curricula with the Market Demands by Developing Employability Skills in the Civil Engineering Sector. Education Sciences, 7(3), 74.

Arkoudis, S., Baik, C., Bexley, E., & Doughney, L. (2014). English language proficiency and employability framework. In: Melbourne: Centre for the Study of Higher Education.

Barnett, A. H., Malcolm, M., & Toledo, H. (2015). Shooting the goose that lays the golden egg: the case of UAE employment policy. Journal of Economic Studies, 42(2), 285-302.

Becker, G. S. (1962). Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis. Journal of political economy, 70(5, Part 2), 9-49.

Becker, G. S. (2009). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education: University of Chicago Press.

Belwal, R., Priyadarshi, P., & Al Fazari, M. H. (2017). Graduate attributes and employability skills: Graduates’ perspectives on employers’ expectations in Oman. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(6), 814-827.

Bouchard, P. (1998). Training and work: Some myths about human capital. Learning for life: Canadian Readings in Adult Education. Toronto, On: Thompson Educational Publishers.

Boyd, J. L. (2017). Interactive simulations: Improving learning retention in knowledge-based online training courses. Capella University,

Breton, T. R. (2012). The role of education in economic development: theory, history, and current returns.

Chan, C. K., Fong, E. T., Luk, L. Y., & Ho, R. (2017). A review of literature on challenges in the development and implementation of generic competencies in the higher education curriculum. International Journal of Educational Development, 57, 1-10.

Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes, and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923-1937.

Coenjaerts, C., Ernst, C., Fortuny, M., Rei, D., & Pilgrim, I. M. (2009). Youth employment. Promoting Pro-Poor Growth, 119.

Coma, C. W., & Douglas, P. H. (1928). A theory of production. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Fortieth Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association.

Craps, S., Pinxten, M., Saunders, G., Leandro Cruz, M., Gaughan, K., & Langie, G. (2017). Professional Roles and Employability of Future Engineers.

de Janasz, S., Forret, M., Haack, D., & Jonsen, K. (2013). Family status and work attitudes: An investigation in a professional services firm. British Journal of Management, 24(2), 191-210.

Evans, S. G., Davis, J., & Wheeler, M. (2017). An Analysis of School-to-Work Readiness. Saint Louis University,

Finch, D. J., Hamilton, L. K., Baldwin, R., & Zehner, M. (2013). An exploratory study of factors affecting undergraduate employability. Education+ Training, 55(7), 681-704.

Fitzgerald, G., Mitchem, K., Hollingshead, C., Miller, K., Koury, K., & Tsai, H.-H. (2011). Exploring the bridge from multimedia cases to classrooms: Evidence of transfer. Journal of Special Education Technology, 26(2), 23-38.

Forstenlechner, I., & Rutledge, E. (2010). Unemployment in the Gulf: time to update the “social contract”. Middle East Policy, 17(2), 38-51.

Gaughan, K., Craps, S., Pinxten, M., Saunders, G., & Leandro-Cruz, M. (2017). Professional Roles and Employability of Future Engineers.

Gonzales, M. (2017). Examining institutional career preparation: Student perceptions of their workplace readiness and the role of the university in student career development: Pepperdine University.

Gupta, T., Singh, A., & Kaushik, A. (2018). Placement Predict: A Review of Engineering Graduate Placement Statistics in India. International Journal of Engineering Science, 16381.

Hassan, N. F., & Puteh, S. (2017). A Survey of Technology Enabled Active Learning in Teaching and Learning Practices to Enhance the Quality of Engineering Students. Advanced Science Letters, 23(2), 1104-1108.

Hinchliffe, G. W., & Jolly, A. (2011). Graduate identity and employability. British Educational Research Journal, 37(4), 563-584.

Holmes, D. W., Sheehan, M., Birks, M., & Smithson, J. (2018). Development of a competency mapping tool for undergraduate professional degree programs, using mechanical engineering as a case study. European Journal of Engineering Education, 43(1), 126-143.

Holmes, L. (2013). Competing perspectives on graduate employability: possession, position, or process? Studies in Higher Education, 38(4), 538-554.

Jackson, D. (2014). Factors influencing job attainment in recent Bachelor graduates: evidence from Australia. Higher Education, 68(1), 135-153.

Jackson, D. (2015). Employability skill development in work-integrated learning: Barriers and best practice. Studies in Higher Education, 40(2), 350-367.

Kalfa, S., & Taksa, L. (2015). Cultural capital in business higher education: reconsidering the graduate attributes movement and the focus on employability. Studies in Higher Education, 40(4), 580-595.

Lane, A. (2017). The systemic implications of constructive alignment of higher education level learning outcomes and employer or professional body based competency frameworks.

Leslie, L. L., & Brinkman, P. T. (1988). The Economic Value of Higher Education. American Council on Education/Macmillan Series on Higher Education: ERIC.

Manoharan, S., & Arockiam, K. (2017). A Study on the Influence of Domicile of Engineering Colleges and Competency Profile of Industrial Aspirants. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research (IJEMR), 7(3), 238-241.

McMahon, W. W. (2009). Higher learning, greater good: The private and social benefits of higher education: JHU Press.

Medema, S. G. (2006). Adam Smith and the Chicago School (Vol. 28): June.

Mincer, J. (1962). On-the-job training: Costs, returns, and some implications. Journal of Political Economy, 70(5, Part 2), 50-79.

Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and ‘skills gap in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591-609.

Neisler, O., Clayton, D., Al-Barwani, T., Al Kharusi, H., & Al-Sulaimani, H. (2016). 21st-century teacher education: Teaching, learning, and assessment of critical thinking skills at Sultan Qaboos University. Redefining Teacher Education for the Post-2015 Era: Global Challenges and Best Practices, 77-95.

Okay-Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2014). Coping with career boundaries and boundary-crossing in the graduate labor market. Career Development International, 19(6), 668-682.

Okay–Somerville, B., & Scholarios, D. (2015). Career Self–Management, Perceived Employability, and Employment Success during University–to–Work Transitions: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Perspective. Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi(2015 6 (107) Employability (Zatrudnialność)), 33-60.

Orey, M. (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology: CreateSpace North Charleston.

Parkay, F., Hass, G., & Anctil, E. (2000). Learning and learning styles. Parkay, FW & Hass, G.(2000). Curriculum planning: a contemporary approach (7th edition). Toronto: Allyn and Bacon.

Schultz, T. (1963). The Economics Value of Education. New York and London. Columbia. In: University Press.

Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. The American Economic Review, 1-17.

Shetty, D., & Xu, J. (2018). Strategies to Address “Design Thinking” in the Engineering Curriculum. Paper presented at the ASME 2018 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.

Silatech, G., & Bank, W. (2010). The Silatech Index: Voices of Young Arabs. In: Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, Silatech Washington, DC.

Smith, A. (1776). The Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell.

Skinner, B. F. (2011). About behaviorism: Vintage.

Slaughter, S., Taylor, B. J., & Rosinger, K. O. (2015). A critical reframing of human capital theory in US higher education. Critical approaches to the study of higher education: A practical introduction, 80-102.

Swailes, S., Al Said, L., & Al Fahdi, S. (2012). Localization policy in Oman: a psychological contracting interpretation. International journal of public sector management, 25(5), 357-372.

Vanhercke, D., De Cuyper, N., Peeters, E., & De Witte, H. (2014). Defining perceived employability: a psychological approach. Personnel Review, 43(4), 592-605.

Watson, J. B. (1930). Behaviorism Chicago. In: University of Chicago Press.

Zaharim, A., Yusoff, Y. M., Mohamed, A., Omar, M. Z., Muhamad, N., & Mustapha, R. (2010). A Practical framework of employability skills for engineering graduates in Malaysia. Paper presented at the Education Engineering (EDUCON), 2010 IEEE.
Published
2020-10-12
How to Cite
Hinai, M. R. A., Bhuiyan, A. B., & Husin, N. A. (2020). Theoretical Review on The Graduate Attributes and The Readiness for Employability Among Engineering Graduates in The Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Oman. Indian Journal of Finance and Banking, 4(2), 130-139. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijfb.v4i2.799
Section
Research Paper/Theoretical Paper/Review Paper/Short Communication Paper