Employability of Financial Management Graduates According to Industry Needs and Course Outcomes

Employability of graduates is a result of their acquired skills through academic learning and experience. This study aimed to determine the employability of financial management graduates according to industry needs and course outcomes contribution to graduate skills. The study utilized descriptive correlational design to determine the significant relationship among variables. A Stratified Random sampling was used with a total sample size of 125 employed graduates and their immediate supervisors. The statistical tools employed in the study were frequency, mean and standard deviation, T-test analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. Result showed a significant difference is found between graduates' employability and industry needs (t=-2.71, p= 0.007), specifically for problem-solving skills, numeracy skills, and attention to details. The study also showed a highly significant correlation between graduate employability and course outcome contribution (r=0.658, p< 0.001). In conclusion, this study established Gary Becker's Human Capital Theory, which highlights the importance of education and training in boosting people's productivity and employability where individuals' skills (human capital) are valuable assets that increase their marketability to potential employers. Hence it is desired to address the gap between the skills of the graduate and the industry needs by an enhancement of the curriculum.