Examining Perceived Employability of Public Service Department Sponsored Undergraduates in Malaysian Public Universities: CareerEDGE Model and the Role of Self-Efficacy as a Mediator

Abstract

Graduate employability is always being a global concern since it ties directly to tertiary education. Essentially, it refers to undergraduates' perceived chances of getting a job or the ability to be employed after graduation. Due to rapidly changing labour market, there is a need for empirical research in the area of self-perceived employability and its influencing factors. Hence, this study used the CareerEDGE model constructs to examine the influencing factors of undergraduates’ employability and the mediating effect of self-efficacy. Data were collected from 256 final-year students sponsored by the Malaysian Public Service Department across twenty public universities in Malaysia. Structural Equation Modelling Analysis of Moment Structures was employed for data analysis. The results showed that only career development learning influenced the employability. The other constructs (work experience; degree subject knowledge and skills; generic skills; and emotional intelligence) showed no influence. Additionally, self-efficacy did not mediate these relationships. These findings suggest that the CareerEDGE model does not influenced employability of PSD-sponsored undergraduates, and self-efficacy is not a key factor in this context. The findings contributed to the current body of knowledge and highlight the need for further exploration of undergraduates perceived employability studies, especially in the Malaysian context.