The impact of work integrated learning on the employability of undergraduates using psychological career resources at a higher education institution in Namibia

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) on the employability of undergraduates at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Namibia. Worldwide, the employability of graduates is an important component of the agenda of higher education, for employers and society alike. HEIs are expected to produce work ready graduates for the world of work. This has resulted in a course focusing on Work Integrated Learning (WIL) being embedded in the curriculum of the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) to assist in preparing graduates for the world of work. The study utilised a quasi-experimental quantitative research design, since this was considered the most appropriate method for measuring the employability of undergraduates before and after the WIL intervention. An instrument developed by Coetzee (2008), consisting of Psychological Career Resources (PCRs) that measure employability, in other words, the Psychological Career Resources Inventory (PCRI), was adopted and used to collect data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilised to analyse the data. The study found that the WIL intervention was ineffective in influencing the general employability of undergraduates in the School of Management Sciences at the PoN, subsequent to their three-month-long WIL placement. It was found that there was no significant difference between the WIL-placed groups and the unplaced groups when assessed in relation to the PCR dimensions, namely career enablers, career drivers and career harmonisers. The findings indicate insignificant differences between the two groups of students, that is WIL-placed and unplaced respondents, which indicates a negative relationship between WIL and employability. Moreover, the relationship between WIL and employability could not be established, since there is no significant difference in the mean scores of the different PCRs dimensions. These findings are in contrast to the literature reviewed, which asserted that WIL does influence employability from different perspectives, and clearly indicated that it does play a significant role in developing the skills that improve employability. The study thus concluded that, on its own, WIL does not positively influence the employability of undergraduates. It was therefore recommended that a further study be conducted to track graduates’ employability after graduation among those who have participated in WIL and those who did not. The duration of time spend on WIL and its contribution to employability could also be investigated. A study could further be conducted to determine the influence of curriculum teaching and learning activities on employability, other than WIL. Furthermore, a larger study involving all undergraduate programmes with the WIL component embedded in their curriculum could be conducted. Such a study could then be used to validate the findings of the current research. The literature furthermore stated that employability can be grounded in the specific curriculum activities, perhaps extending the WIL period to six months or even a year, and strengthening career guidance with employability skills in the programmes offered to undergraduates. These suggested approaches could be implemented by PoN to improve the employability of graduates.