The Role of University-Industry Linkage to Produce Graduates with Employable Skills: Analysis of Banking and Finance Graduates’ Attributes from Educators and Industries Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of university-industry collaboration in producing banking and finance graduates with employability skills from instructors and industries viewpoint. For this purpose, mixed research design called embedded design was employed. The sample of 76 industry employees and 73 instructors were selected using simple random sampling method, lottery system. Questionnaire was used as major data collection instrument and its reliability estimate coefficient was α=0.81. Mean difference of responses from two independent groups (industry employees and instructors) was tested through non-directional independent sample (two-sample) t-test. The mean of instructors’ responses on banking and finance graduates professional knowledge, skills and ethics was compared with the mean of industry employees’ responses.  Thus, no statistically significant mean difference was obtained. In conclusion, industry workers and instructors believe that banking and finance graduates have acquired demonstrable theoretical and practical knowledge, professional skills, and professional ethics. Finally, the researchers commended the need to develop competency models for each occupation or job group so as to define graduates’ successful performance in a particular work setting via their demonstrable competencies.

Keywords: Employability skills, competency model, curriculum, university-industry collaboration, banking and finance, graduates