Work-integrated learning (WIL) programs have always been known to boost the employability of students. There has also been an increased interest recently in working professionals for WIL programs to continue their education and upskill themselves without giving up their jobs. It is essential for the professionals to continue to stay “employable” and relevant. Employability skills not only include job-related skills but also include other attributes such as social-/people-related skills which will help an individual progress in one’s career and be successful. While WIL programs help add to the educational qualification of a professional, it is interesting to study the level of contribution of WIL programs in boosting the employability skills of individuals. This study has been conducted using a survey and a focused interaction with 30 working professionals who have pursued a work-integrated educational program from a reputed university. The study included several questions about what the participants considered as essential employability skills in their jobs and how (and to what extent) the WIL programs helped them develop these skills. The findings revealed that WIL programs have been found to contribute significantly to the improvement of some of the essential skills, while on-the-job experience has been reported to have helped in their grooming to a greater extent in certain areas. The study outcomes are expected to provide valuable insights to educational institutes and help in the design of their curricula of WIL programs, with a special focus on employability skill enhancement for the individuals. A larger study, engaging a higher number of subjects across diverse samples should be considered in furthering the research in this direction.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Contribution of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Programs Toward Continued Employability Skill Enhancement in Working Professionals: A Case Study

  • Suri Babu Kuchimanchi,
  • Jayashree Mahesh

摘要

Work-integrated learning (WIL) programs have always been known to boost the employability of students. There has also been an increased interest recently in working professionals for WIL programs to continue their education and upskill themselves without giving up their jobs. It is essential for the professionals to continue to stay “employable” and relevant. Employability skills not only include job-related skills but also include other attributes such as social-/people-related skills which will help an individual progress in one’s career and be successful. While WIL programs help add to the educational qualification of a professional, it is interesting to study the level of contribution of WIL programs in boosting the employability skills of individuals. This study has been conducted using a survey and a focused interaction with 30 working professionals who have pursued a work-integrated educational program from a reputed university. The study included several questions about what the participants considered as essential employability skills in their jobs and how (and to what extent) the WIL programs helped them develop these skills. The findings revealed that WIL programs have been found to contribute significantly to the improvement of some of the essential skills, while on-the-job experience has been reported to have helped in their grooming to a greater extent in certain areas. The study outcomes are expected to provide valuable insights to educational institutes and help in the design of their curricula of WIL programs, with a special focus on employability skill enhancement for the individuals. A larger study, engaging a higher number of subjects across diverse samples should be considered in furthering the research in this direction.