An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa
Orientation: The unemployment problem in South Africa has been explored from both supply and demand perspectives, but there is a gap in understanding industry expectations on graduate competence and market readiness. Research purpose: This study investigates a labour market-driven assessment strate...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-01-01
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| Series: | SA Journal of Human Resource Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajhrm.co.za/index.php/sajhrm/article/view/2808 |
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| _version_ | 1823858177325662208 |
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| author | Tendency Beretu Warren P. Charles |
| author_facet | Tendency Beretu Warren P. Charles |
| author_sort | Tendency Beretu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Orientation: The unemployment problem in South Africa has been explored from both supply and demand perspectives, but there is a gap in understanding industry expectations on graduate competence and market readiness.
Research purpose: This study investigates a labour market-driven assessment strategy to evaluate the employability of Human Resource Management (HRM) graduates in South Africa.
Motivation for the study: The study aims to ensure that graduate assessments align with industry needs, enhancing employability through industry-based methods.
Research approach/design and method: A case study design was used, selecting a university offering HRM qualifications and 196 employed HRM graduates. Supervisors of these graduates provided feedback on the alignment between university assessments and graduate performance. The study used a pragmatic approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection.
Main findings: The data from 196 supervisors revealed eight key themes: assessments were seen as inappropriate, lacking industry focus, too general and needing industry collaboration. Respondents also suggested industry responsibility in assessments, linking students to industry, emphasising solutions to industry challenges, and calling for industry-based standards. Most respondents viewed current assessments as inaccurate indicators of graduate capabilities.
Practical/managerial implications: The study recommends adopting an industry-centric assessment approach to improve graduate assessments. This alignment could enhance graduate fitness for employment and the value they add to the industry.
Contribution/value-add: This study helps to align university assessments with industry expectations, increasing HRM graduates’ employability and ensuring assessments reflect the capabilities needed in the labour market. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-20a077f949024457940f4f3883018478 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1683-7584 2071-078X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SA Journal of Human Resource Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-20a077f949024457940f4f38830184782025-02-11T13:29:09ZengAOSISSA Journal of Human Resource Management1683-75842071-078X2025-01-01230e1e810.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.2808844An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South AfricaTendency Beretu0Warren P. Charles1Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa; and, Department of Human Resource Management, College of Economic and Management Sciences, University of South Africa, Cape TownDepartment of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape TownOrientation: The unemployment problem in South Africa has been explored from both supply and demand perspectives, but there is a gap in understanding industry expectations on graduate competence and market readiness. Research purpose: This study investigates a labour market-driven assessment strategy to evaluate the employability of Human Resource Management (HRM) graduates in South Africa. Motivation for the study: The study aims to ensure that graduate assessments align with industry needs, enhancing employability through industry-based methods. Research approach/design and method: A case study design was used, selecting a university offering HRM qualifications and 196 employed HRM graduates. Supervisors of these graduates provided feedback on the alignment between university assessments and graduate performance. The study used a pragmatic approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection. Main findings: The data from 196 supervisors revealed eight key themes: assessments were seen as inappropriate, lacking industry focus, too general and needing industry collaboration. Respondents also suggested industry responsibility in assessments, linking students to industry, emphasising solutions to industry challenges, and calling for industry-based standards. Most respondents viewed current assessments as inaccurate indicators of graduate capabilities. Practical/managerial implications: The study recommends adopting an industry-centric assessment approach to improve graduate assessments. This alignment could enhance graduate fitness for employment and the value they add to the industry. Contribution/value-add: This study helps to align university assessments with industry expectations, increasing HRM graduates’ employability and ensuring assessments reflect the capabilities needed in the labour market.https://sajhrm.co.za/index.php/sajhrm/article/view/2808university assessmentemployabilitygraduateslabour markethuman resource managementlabour force readinesscapability mappingskills gapindustry needs |
| spellingShingle | Tendency Beretu Warren P. Charles An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa SA Journal of Human Resource Management university assessment employability graduates labour market human resource management labour force readiness capability mapping skills gap industry needs |
| title | An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa |
| title_full | An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa |
| title_short | An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa |
| title_sort | assessment strategy for the employability of hrm graduates in south africa |
| topic | university assessment employability graduates labour market human resource management labour force readiness capability mapping skills gap industry needs |
| url | https://sajhrm.co.za/index.php/sajhrm/article/view/2808 |
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