Search Results for
"Students"

Investment in higher education is crucial to foster human capital growth, which enriches the national economy. As a result, academic institutions face increasing pressure to focus on enhancing the employability of their graduates. Overall, numerous factors are observed to affect the employability of university graduates, including the graduates themselves (knowledge, experience, skills, attitudes), quality in higher education (curricula), and the dynamics of the labour market. In Vietnam, university quality assurance involves two elements namely, institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation. The increasing emphasis on quality assurance and management of higher education has presented a direct challenge to the Vietnamese education and training system. Specifically, employment demands have necessitated academic counselling, extra-curricular activities, competitions, and other assistance to improve students’ performance, along with internal quality monitoring and management for further enhancement. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the policies, quality assurance standards, and strategies implemented by Vietnamese universities to enhance graduates’ work prospects. The findings show that there is a notable difference in graduate employment rates between private and public higher education institutions. Particularly, the employment rate and the ability to meet the work requirements of students from accredited institutions are higher than those from unaccredited ones, reflecting the positive relationship between employability and education quality. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.

This study aims to design and implement the Problem-Based Learning Factory (PBLF) learning model in Welding Engineering courses in vocational education. The research approach uses the Dick and Carey model which focuses on systematic instructional design, including needs analysis, goal formulation, learning strategy development, implementation, and formative evaluation. The validity of the model was tested through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with experts, while its practicality and effectiveness were measured through observation and questionnaires to students and lecturers. The results showed that the PBLF model was valid with an average Aiken’s V of 0,85, practical with an achievement level of 87 %, and effective in improving student learning outcomes with an average increase in value of 25 %. This model integrates theories and practices that are relevant to the industrial world, while improving students’ cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills. Formative evaluation showed that model iterations resulted in significant improvements in the learning module. © 2025; Los autores.

This study explores the industrial perspective on the role of orthographic projection engineering drawing within Vocational High Schools (VHS), a representative secondary-level institution in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The research examines how orthographic projection supports students’ preparedness for future careers in the automotive and mechanical industrial sectors. Conducted in 2024, the study employed qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with five experienced industrial practitioners selected through purposive sampling. These practitioners, working in prominent automotive and mechanical companies in Indonesia, provided insights into the skills expected of VHS graduates. Thematic analysis revealed three central themes: foundational technical skills, career readiness and skills application, and cognitive and analytical growth. Findings indicate that mastery of manual orthographic drawing significantly strengthens essential technical competencies, directly supports career-specific tasks, and enhances spatial reasoning and problem-solving abilities. The integration of manual drawing techniques with digital tools prepares students to meet the evolving demands of modern industry by fostering both adaptability and proficiency across analog and digital workflows. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

This study aims to explore the impact of Edpuzzle-based learning media on conceptual understanding, learning motivation, and student competence, and their subsequent effects on learning outcomes in vocational education, particularly in the context of basic photography elements. A quantitative approach was employed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships among latent variables. The study involved 60 students from SMK Negeri 1 Gunung Talang and SMK Negeri 4 Padang, Sumatera Barat. The results show significant positive impacts of Edpuzzle-based learning media on conceptual understanding (β = 0.482, p < 0.001), learning motivation (β = 0.259, p < 0.01), and student competence (β = 0.394, p < 0.001). Furthermore, conceptual understanding significantly affected learning outcomes (β = 0.398, p < 0.001) and student competence (β = 0.356, p < 0.001). Learning motivation was also found to significantly influence learning outcomes (β = 0.382, p < 0.001) and student competence (β = 0.303, p < 0.01). The findings highlight the potential of Edpuzzle in enhancing both the motivation and competence of students, contributing positively to their learning outcomes. This research offers valuable insights into integrating interactive technology in vocational education, particularly in adapting teaching methods to meet industry demands in the digital era. © 2025, Arts and Science Press Pte. Ltd.. All rights reserved.

In today's competitive job market, coupled with rapid technological developments and global events like the pandemic, securing employment has become increasingly difficult for new graduates. Therefore, this study aims to identify the key features that influence the employment status (employed or unemployed) and type (regular or nonregular) of university graduates in South Korea using several machine learning methods including logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, XGBoost, support vector machine, neural network, and Naïve Bayes. Among these methods, XGBoost and neural network demonstrated the highest performance. We applied the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations), one of the XAI (eXplainable AI) techniques, to the XGBoost model. The results revealed that cumulative GPA is the most significant factor influencing labor market outcomes. Furthermore, geographical location, including the location of the university, high school, and current city of residence, as well as family background factors such as parents' occupation and income at the time of university admission, and current assets also played crucial roles. Overall, these results demonstrate the significant impact of academic performance, geographical location, and family background in shaping graduates' employment outcomes. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educational institutions, students, and their families to develop strategies and policies for improving employment prospects. © 2025 KIIE

This paper aims to highlight the significance and impact of an educational initiative developed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (TUCN), Romania, aimed at reducing student dropout rates. Traditional learning methods in electrical engineering often fall short in providing real-world applications, making it challenging for students to stay engaged. To address this, the initiative took the form of a student-led club, Robotelier, which embraced interactive, team-based learning approaches. By integrating theoretical knowledge with hands-on applications and project-based learning, the club fosters a dynamic and engaging educational environment. Beyond enhancing technical expertise, it also provides a valuable platform for students to develop essential social and soft skills. What sets Robotelier apart is its peer-driven model, designed by students for students, creating a supportive community that directly contributes to reducing dropout rates at TUCN. © 2025 IEEE.

Purpose – This study aims to shed light on how work-integrated learning programs (WILP) affect graduate employability, job satisfaction and students’ adaptability to sustainable career transitions in comparison to participants who were not part of WILP. Through a validated model, this study also attempted to map the relationships among employability, job satisfaction, industry engagement and networking and skill enhancement under the auspices of WILP. Design/methodology/approach – In order to assess the study’s objectives, the researchers used structural equation modeling to analyze the quantitative data. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to gather primary data from 490 participants, of whom 295 were WIL participants and 195 were non-WIL participants who were recent graduates. Using regression analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the objectives have been proved and the model validated. Findings – The findings of this study show that WIL graduates (M = 4.20 and SD = 0.60) and non-WIL graduates (M = 3.65 and SD = 0.65) had a statistically significant difference in career satisfaction. In every dependent variable, WIL participants outperform non-participants. According to SEM, WIL plays a crucial role in deciding students’ professional success by indirectly influencing career satisfaction through skill development, exposure to the industry, and self-confidence, all of which improve employability. The model displays good fit indices (CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94 and RMSEA = 0.04), affirming its strength and validity. Practical implications – Academicians, policymakers and organizations can rely on the suggestions of this study to enhance graduates’ employability and satisfaction. The results specify that WIL should be designed to cater to the industry demands, which in turn results in job readiness. Social implications – The study signifies the role of WIL in expediting positive career transitions, which in turn results in augmenting employability and raising economic stability. It advocates the broader-level application of WIL initiatives to link educational outcomes with industry demands. Originality/value – This study reinforces the existing literature by suggesting an advanced model that connects numerous features of WIL programs and their impact on career success. It can be considered one of the few researchers to empirically prove the links between these variables using structural equation modeling (SEM). © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited

In today’s dynamic and evolving job market, vocational education plays a vital role in equipping students with practical skills for successful careers. This study investigates the employment challenges faced by vocational students in China, an issue that has become a significant societal concern amidst the rapid expansion of vocational education in recent years. Despite increased enrollment in vocational colleges, the unemployment rate among graduates continues to rise, largely due to a gap between the soft skills of students and the demands of the labor market. The study’s objectives are twofold: (1) to assess the level of soft skills and work readiness among vocational students in China, and (2) to explore the relationship between soft skills and work readiness. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 132 respondents, including 56 male and 76 female students across various majors. Statistical package for social sciences SPSS) Version 26 was used for analyzing the mean score, standard deviations and the correlation analysis. The analysis reveals that soft skills among vocational students are generally at a moderate level, with mean scores ranging from 2.53 to 3.32. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between soft skills and work readiness was found (P < 0.01), suggesting that enhanced soft skills could improve students' preparedness for the workforce. Theoretically, this study contributes to the understanding of the role of soft skills in vocational education and their impact on employability. Practically, the findings suggest that vocational education institutions should prioritize soft skills training in their curricula to better align graduates’ abilities with labor market needs, thus enhancing their employability prospects. These insights offer valuable guidance for policymakers and educators in designing curricula that address the growing demand for soft skills in the modern workplace. © 2025 by author(s). Environment and Social Psychology is published by Arts and Science Press Pte. Ltd.

Debugging constitutes a pivotal component in the learning curve of programming, serving not only to enhance coding proficiencies but also to cultivate thinking skills. However, debugging tools embedded in integrated development environments (IDEs) often provide limited error diagnosis, which may reduce students” engagement with coding and inhibit their learning performances. This study therefore proposed a Reflective Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAJ) Debugging (RGD) approach, an innovative debugging approach based on reflective strategies and operationalized through a GenAI tool, an intelligent conversational agent. To assess the performance of the approach, we used a quasi-experimental design and recruited 80 high school students from two classes of a province in eastern China. One class with 40 students was selected to be the experimental group using the RGD approach; the other class with 40 students was the control group utilizing the conventional coding and debuggmg (C’GD) approach. The results depicted that the RGD group better enhanced students” learning achievement than the CGD group. Nevertheless, a significant difference was found in the two groups” computational thinking skills. The findings could be a reference to instructors and researchers intending to use GenAI in programming classes. © Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

This study investigates business students' perceptions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding their job readiness as they approach graduation. Recognizing the critical role of soft skills in securing employment, the research aims to evaluate the preparedness of UAE graduates for the competitive job market. A survey was carried out among 156 senior business students from various UAE universities, resulting in 90 usable responses. Quantitative analysis using statistical methods revealed that students prioritize communication, adaptability, cultural intelligence, and problem-solving as essential for securing entry-level positions. While participants expressed confidence in their academic and teamwork abilities, they identified creativity, innovation, and effective conflict resolution areas needing improvement. Additionally, the findings emphasize the significance of lifelong learning in navigating the UAE’s dynamic economy. This research provides actionable insights to align educational curricula with industry needs and better prepare graduates for the workforce. ©2025 IEEE.