An employability competency framework for South African human resource development graduates.
Chweu, Mmalesweu Gift
Chweu, Mmalesweu Gift
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Abstract
Higher education institutions are not prepared to meet the expectations of employers, although employers have to recruit graduates with relevant employability competencies. The aim of this study was to develop an employability competencies framework for human resource development graduates in South Africa. An anonymous online survey was distributed to a target population of 707 South African Board of People Practices (SABPP) professionals in the nine (9) provinces of SA. This was achieved through the use of a quantitative research method. The questionnaires which were completed and returned were 197. However, only 134 were valid. The data provided much needed insight into what employers’ expectations are with regards to the employability competencies of HRD graduates. In this study a factor analysis revealed that there are 5 important factors that contribute to the expected HRD competencies. These factors included: 1) Intra cognitive generic competencies, 2) Intra-behavioural competencies 3) Intra cognitive business competencies, 4) Intra-cognitive technical competencies, and 5) Interpersonal competencies. This study also revealed that the factors identified through the factor analysis relate to employability competencies and there is a
positive relationship among all of these factors. Secondly, the intrapersonal competencies have an impact on interpersonal competencies, except for technical competencies. Finally, the study revealed that there is a gap between the expected and the current employability competencies of HRD graduates in SA. An employability competency framework is developed to enable HRD graduates to continue developing their core competencies in the world of work. The results of the study are expected to add valuable insight to the existing body of knowledge, mainly on the employability competencies of HRD graduates in South Africa.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor Technologiae: Human Resource Development in the Department People Management and Development,
Faculty of Management Sciences at the Tshwane University of Technology
Date
2021-03-01
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Employability, Human resource development graduate, Intrapersonal competencies, Interpersonal competencies, Personal quality, Competencies, Knowledge, Skills