Iqbal Jawad, Shaikh Aliya Ahmad, Jamal Warda Najeeb, Akhtar Kalsoom, Rahim Rabia, Kousar Shazia
Institute of Business, Management, and Administrative Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Front Psychol. 2023 Jan 5;13:1070267. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1070267. eCollection 2022.
This study aims to elucidate the employers' perspectives on the key generic employability skills which would enable them to seek graduate jobs and will ensure their professional wellbeing once they enter the job market after acquiring a University degree.
In order to pursue this objective, an exploratory qualitative inquiry was deployed which involved two panel-based discussions. The respondents of each panel discussion were invited through the platforms of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), and the Chamber of Commerce Rahim Yar Khan. These respondents represented Pharmaceuticals, Agrichemical manufacturers (fertilizers, pesticides), Livestock, Cotton, textiles, and apparel industry which are the main industries in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.
For the purpose of analysis, a thematic analysis was done in the context of grounded theory. Resultantly, the findings of the study reveal an employers' perspective on 10 key generic employability skills as must-have for a Pakistani Millennial graduate including various soft and hard skills, such as-Emotional Intelligence, Flexibility and Adaptability, Multitasking, Computer Literacy and Digital Skills, Information Literacy and Data Analytics, Oral and Written Communication in English and Urdu, Critical Thinking, Positive Politics, Work Ethics and Professionalism, and Commercial awareness. Hence, the study produces implications for the employability stakeholders, including government and academia for a much needed shift from a mere subject-based curriculum to a skill-oriented curriculum and training in the Universities, particularly in the region of Southern Punjab, and all across Pakistan as well.
本研究旨在阐明雇主对于关键通用就业技能的看法，这些技能将使毕业生能够找到工作，并确保他们在获得大学学位进入就业市场后能保持职业幸福感。
为实现这一目标，开展了一项探索性定性研究，其中包括两次基于小组的讨论。每次小组讨论的受访者都是通过巴哈瓦尔布尔工商会（BCCI）和拉希姆亚尔汗商会的平台邀请而来的。这些受访者代表了制药、农用化学品制造商（化肥、农药）、畜牧业、棉花、纺织和服装行业，这些都是巴基斯坦旁遮普省南部的主要产业。
为了进行分析，在扎根理论的背景下进行了主题分析。结果，该研究的结果揭示了雇主对于巴基斯坦千禧一代毕业生必须具备的10项关键通用就业技能的看法，包括各种软技能和硬技能，如情商、灵活性和适应性、多任务处理能力、计算机素养和数字技能、信息素养和数据分析、英语和乌尔都语的口头和书面沟通、批判性思维、积极的政治态度、职业道德和专业精神以及商业意识。因此，该研究对就业相关利益者产生了影响，包括政府和学术界，促使其进行急需的转变，即从单纯基于学科的课程转向以技能为导向的课程，并在大学中开展培训，特别是在旁遮普省南部地区以及全巴基斯坦。
