Dimensions of program relevance towards employment success: Evidence from a graduate tracer study using principal component analysis

Abstract

In this paper, the researchers use data from the tracer study to characterize the graduate's employment profile, assess the perceived contribution of the program to their personal and professional growth, evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the delivery of the graduate program, and explore significant dimensions of curricular program relevance toward employment success. Tracer studies are common in higher education to evaluate, using relevant metrics, the effectiveness of the curricular programs. The researchers employed a crosssectional research design and analyzed the results from a tracer study conducted in a Philippine state university among its graduates in the Master in Management program from 2020-2022 using descriptive, open-coding, and principal component analysis techniques. The results revealed that pursuing graduate studies enhanced graduate's employment opportunities. The effective delivery of the graduate program contributes to the personal and professional growth of the graduates. Developing the graduate's personal skills is shaped by many factors encompassing people, problem-solving, information technology skills, meeting present and future professional needs, exposure to the local and international communities within the field of specialisation, critical thinking skills, salary improvement and promotion, and personality development. Improving the graduates' professional skills entails a strong foundation in the academic profession, research capability, learning efficiency, and communication skills. Indeed, the professional and personal growth of the graduates are the critical dimensions of curricular relevance. The graduates give a premium on the aspects of the curriculum that lead to their personal and professional development.