University Students’ Employability Skills Model Based on Chinese Employer Perspective

Abstract

The employability and the employability skills of the university students in China are now being the most important capacity which the employers pay the highest attention to. The aim of this research was to identify the university students’ employability skills and college students’ employability skills framework to reinforce the employability research and the field of human resource development (HRD) in the Chinese context. From the perspective of the employers, using the methods of interview and questionnaire, this paper studied the contents of the students’ employability skills which the Chinese employers recognized and got the model of university students’ employability skills. The results showed that college student’s personal characteristics perceived by the service industry employers and the manufacture industry employers major focused on honesty, independence, self-confidence, adaptability, and enthusiasm. Basic knowledge which perceived by the service industry employers and the manufacture industry employers centralized political knowledge, and economic knowledge. Interpersonal relationship, teamwork, strain capacity, problem handling capacity, leadership, information technology software applications, and presentation skills were the abilities at present and in the next five years that both industry employers thought very important skills and abilities. The conclusions can be got that the employability skills perceived by Chinese employers whether in service industry or in manufacture industry include personal qualities, basic knowledge, skills and abilities. The employability skills framework perceived by employers at present in service industry and in manufacture industry is slightly different. On the contrary, it is surprising that the employability skills at present and in the next 5 years perceived by service industry employers or manufacture industry employers have a significant difference alternatively. Suggestions on managerial implications and future research directions are put forward respectively.