Employability of Engineering Students- A Report on the Discernment of the Students and Their Employers

Abstract

Professional education is the need for the hour as companies pursue technologically sound workers and have the ability to support themselves in any kind of evolving market climate. Reform of the education system is required to resolve the disparity between current employability skills and level of competence at executive level. The current study is an effort to examine employers and employees interpretation of employability skills required in MNC software companies for executive level engineering graduates. It is an exploratory research. The paper indicated that there is significant gap between the learners and the aspirations of their job providers.

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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 7s, (2020), pp. 582-587
582
ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
Employability of Engineering Students- A Report on the Discernment of the
Students and Their Employers
Ajit Bansal1, Pranav Aggarwal2, Manpreet Singh3, Ramgopal4
1Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
2Chitkara College of Hospitality Management, Chitkara University, Punjab, India,
3Chitkara College of Hospitality Management, Chitkara University, Punjab,
4Chitkara College of Hospitality Management, Chitkara University, Punjab, India,
Abstract
Professional education is the need for the hour as companies pursue technologically sound workers and
have the ability to support themselves in any kind of evolving market climate. Reform of the education
system is required to resolve the disparity between current employability skills and level of competence at
executive level. The current study is an effort to examine employers and employees interpretation of
employability skills required in MNC software companies for executive level engineering graduates. It is
an exploratory research. The paper indicated that there is significant gap between the learners and the
aspirations of their job providers.
Keywords: Employability, Market Climate, Reform, Engineering graduates, Employers, MNC.
1. INTORODUCTION
Bianca K & Peter F. (2004) defined technology as a profession focused at competently enforcing an
unique body of scientific evidence on math science and technology, mixed with business administration,
acquired through learning and vocational training, in a specific field of study.
Technology aims at the growth, provision and conservation of facilities, products and services for
manufacturing sector and society as a whole. Hence, technology graduates should have several expertises
to help them efficiently implement the learning in the job. The capabilities are generic attributes and
known as employability skills.
Until now, skill training and entrepreneurial programs have also been widely fractured all over the nation.
India is reporting an appalling 4 percent of formally qualified labour as against advanced countries, in
which proportion of trained work force is around 66 percent and 92 percent of the total manpower.
Therefore, there is a need for rapid realignment of the homeland’s skill creation and entrepreneurial
infrastructure to match industry needs and encourage decent lifestyle for its citizens.
Acknowledging the use and necessity for swift alignment of the energies of all associated entities in the
zone of skills training and enterprise, the Government of India approved on 31 July 2014 the
establishment of the Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in conjunction with those
the requirements of market. Consequently, the department was promoted to a fully blown Ministry of
Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on 9 November 2014. Higher education institutions are therefore
exhibiting a genuine concern in developing employment prospects and are implementing the concept of
an employability appraisal to identify and plug discrepancies from the first year onwards.
2. Review of Literature
Aspiring Minds (2019) did analysis of engineer’s employability. Indian engineers’ employability remains
shockingly poor with over 80 % of engineer’s unemployed for any job in the information economy,
Aspiring Minds’ National Employability Study indicates. They observed that only 3.84% of professionals

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 7s, (2020), pp. 582-587
583
ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
were attractive to employers for the information services market. In fields such as AI, Machine Learning
approximately 3% of engineers have new-age skills.
Mohapatra Manolisa et al. (2019) highlighted that there is huge gap between skill set possessed by
graduates and employers expectation. So in order to fill this gap, the authors suggested need of
educational reforms.
Bansal Ajit (2018) had concluded in his study that in order to offer world class education to management
students, the institutions of higher education should improve upon their syllabi and introduce innovative,
industry specific teaching pedagogy.
Tinashe Harry et.al.(2018), in their study have examined determinants job prospects in rural south African
university among learners in educational institutions. They concluded that decision makers should frame
educational policies in such a way so as to reduce the employability gap and reduce the problems of
students.
Kaushal Urvashi (2016) has performed an analysis on engaging technology understudies through
competence in employment prospects. The researcher is of the opinion that in the contemporary
competitive league it is crucial for technical students to possess some of the core skills that recruiters
expect in addition to holding a professional degree. The analyst proposed that technical educational
institutes should focus more on improving skill set of the students as per industry requirements
Chithra. R (2013) had conducted a research on the discernment of technology learners and their potential
employers. She concluded that there is major disparity within perspective of learners and their subsequent
employers. Further it was found that learners with job experience are more conscious of employability
know-how than other students. Improving expertise and information deployment across specialized
training will allow staff to do their jobs in the best way possible and this is the hour’s need.
Because so many researches rely on employer understanding, the researcher has assigned reasonable
significance to that of the notion and trait of the worker.
3. Objectives of the Study
The present research is conducted with an objective of highlighting the capabilities of technology
graduates as regards employability. The main objective is to examine the disparity between graduates of
technology who are planning to enter the software business. Below mentioned are objectives of study
under question:
 To objectively recognize employers’ views of employability capabilities in engineering.
 Identify the technical graduates’ understanding of employability skills.
 To describe the gap among learner and professional comprehension.
 To determine how gender and job experience are impacting graduates’ employability skills.
4. Research Methodology
It is an investigational analysis. The researcher has developed 2 online surveys relating to different skill
structure and described a set of 25 skills as an assortment of the skills. The work ethic was classified as
per the template established by World Bank to research engineering graduates’ employability skills in
India. (Andreas Blom, 2011).
The sample of 180 engineering students of final year and post graduation were from technical educational
institutions from Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh. Another sample of 70 professional was taken from
industrial hub of Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh to recognize the perspective of the employers towards
job skills.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 7s, (2020), pp. 582-587
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ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
5. Empirical Analysis & Elucidation:
5.1 Demographic profile of Job Providers
The sample size was 70. The following are demographic details of the professionals:
5.1.1 Demographic data (Size of Job Providers)
Table 1:- Analysis of Job Providers on the basis of their size
Job Provider’s size
Number
%
Large (15000 and above)
12
17.14
Medium(7500-15000)
23
32.86
Small(100-7500)
45
64.28
Total
70
100
It was evident from above analysis that maximum respondents were from small size followed by medium
and large size companies.
5.1.2 On the Job experience
Tab. 2: Analysis of Job Experience on basis of Sex
Job Experience
Male
Female
Total
Percentage
4< 7
8
16
24
34.29
7< 10
12
18
30
42.86
10< 15
4
6
10
14.28
15 Years & Above
6
0
6
8.87
Total
30
40
70
100
The researcher has identified technical experts & performance management workers with more than 4
years’ experience in software companies. It was found that 8.87% professionals were having experience
of 10years & above.
6.2 The students’ descriptive stats are below:
6.2.1 Relationship of Graduates as per their age and sex
Table 3: Relationship of Graduates as per their age and sex
Age
Male
Female
Total
Total (%)
21
25
46
71
39.44
22
19
12
31
17.22
23
19
22
41
22.78
24
5
6
11
6.11
25
4
5
9
5.00
26
3
5
8
4.44
27
2
2
4
2.22
28
3
2
5
2.78
Total
80
100
180
100
From the above analysis it is evident that maximum respondents (85.55%) belong to the age group of 20-
24 yr. followed by 14.45% of the respondents were in 25-28 years category.
6.2.2 Relationship of Graduates as per their sex and medium of education
From the analysis it was found that 71% of respondents finished their school education in English
medium as against 29% of respondents who finished their schooling in mother tongue. It was found that
communication skills of english medium students are better than that of hindi medium students. So for
getting a decent job they are required to polish their communication skills.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 7s, (2020), pp. 582-587
585
ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
6.2.3 Analysis on the basis of Academic qualification and sex
Table 4- Educational Qualifications
Education
Male
Female
Total
Percentage
B.Engg
46
44
90
50
B.Technology
16
46
62
34
M.Engg
14
1
15
8
M.Technology
4
9
13
8
Total
80
100
180
100
Examination found that the highest number of respondents sought a Bachelor of Engineering degree ,
followed by Bachelor of Technolgy, M Engg and M technology.
6.2.4 Analysis on the Basis of job experience & gender
It was clear from the following figure that most of the respondents didn’t have any job experience. It
offered a clearer impression of importance of employability skills
Figure 2: Analysis on the basis of job Experience and Gender
6.2.5 Top 10 Employability qualities for Job Provider and graduate students
Table -5- Top 10 Employability qualities for Job Provider and graduate students
Job Provider
Learner
Skills
Mean
S.D.
Skills
Mean
S.D.
Accuracy
9.74
1.76
Basic Computer Skills
9.56
1.38
Integrity
8.9
1.86
Technical Skills
9.5
1.32
technical Knowledge
8.8
1.9
Use of Modern Tools
9.46
1.32
Communication
8.82
1.86
Communication
9.42
1.28
Teamwork
8.7
1.76
Advanced Computer Skills
9.3
1.18
Willingness to Learn
8.52
1.36
System Design
8.8
1.42
Selfdiscipline
8.52
1.58
Responsibility
8.4
1.34

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
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ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
Entrepreneurship
8.44
1.72
Discipline
8.22
1.38
Flexible
8.3
1.8
Creativity
8.2
1.36
Understanding
8.28
1.92
Application of knowledge
8.2
1.54
From the above research it was evident that companies gave reasonable priority to interpersonal expertise
while learners gave emphasis to technical abilities. Highest rated capabilities including such as accuracy,
integrity, technical knowledge were in the top ranks of the ranking of the learners. This disparity in
understanding illustrates the need to create awareness among the learners about job skills in technology.
Inference:
The study indicates that the Indian learners have a deep commitment for awareness to recognize the
employability skills expected by the international job sector. For this cause, the learners can’t be
criticized, but institutions of higher learning providing higher education would still need to take personal
responsibility and redesign the programs at convenient times to meet the industry needs. Furthermore, a
prolonged and ambitious strategy should be instituted to educate technology learners. Increasing the
interaction between Industry and academia is necessary to meet the business expectations. The study
indicates that learners with professional experience have a better understanding of the abilities of
employability than learner’s lacking job experience.
In this regard it is suggested that All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University
Grant Commission (UGC) should make it sure that institutions offering technical education should
change the dimensions of learning by its latest course curriculum and innovative teaching pedagogy.
Acknowledgment:
We wish to convey our special thanks of gratitude to our mentor Dr Madhu Chitkara, Vice Chancellor,
Chitkara University, Punjab, India for her continuous support & research facilities provided in the
University, without which timely completion of this study would not have been possible. We would also
like to extend our thanks to ALMIGHTY for blessing us with a very supportive organizational
environment.
Conflict of Interest:
The authors announce no conflict of interest concerning the publication of this paper.
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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology
Vol. 29, No. 7s, (2020), pp. 582-587
587
ISSN: 2005-4238 IJAST
Copyright ⓒ 2020 SERSC
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