Post secondary employability: What counts for VET and TER students?

Developing a survey instrument

Masters of Education University of Western Australia Russell Trowbridge

Overview

Background of Research Question Employability Research Strategy and Design Sample and Sampling Data Collection Data Analysis The Challenges

Background of research question Evaluation of alternative education

programs

Defining success in a partnership

Youth unemployment in the Peel region

VET v TEE

Youth unemployment theories Human capital theory

Segmentation theory

Signalling theory

Networking theory

Rosenbaum, Kariya, Settersten and Maier (1990)

Employability traits

Academic achievement

Job search skills

Personality characteristics

Work ethic

The Research Strategy

Question The perceived importance of employability traits of school leavers in the Peel Region by their prospective employers.

Instrument – survey questionnaire

The Research Strategy

Independent variable – status of respondent

Dependant variable – employability traits perceptions

Sample – Peel region

The Survey Questionnaire

Respondent’s score: 7 on a scale of 0-15

I would not employ a school

leaver if they have not:

Highly

disagree

Disagree Agree Highly

agree

Completed year 9 Yes

Completed year 10  Yes

Completed year 11 Yes

Completed year 12 Yes

Completed a relevant tertiary qualification Yes

Data Collection

Procedures On line questionnaire Peel Chamber of Commerce Peel Careers Expo Webs search Shopping centre stall

Data Analysis

Questionnaire Validity and Reliability Rasch Modeling

How do perceptions vary? Analysis of Variance

The Challenge

Starting with big ideas and expectations

Forming a research question

Focusing on what is achievable

Questions and Discussion