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Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 6 no. 8 (2025)

Employability Skills Perception of Employers and Student Interns

Elaissa C. Valdez | Marjorie O. Perez | Zaira Kristel T. Samson | Hannah Trisha C. Valtoribio | Mercedes B. Pumihic

Discipline: education and teaching

 

Abstract:

Despite earning their degrees, many graduates still face a harsh truth鈥攖hey're not meeting employer expectations. This study ex-plores the skill gap between employers and student interns, focus-ing on Financial Management graduates from Nueva Vizcaya State University. Using a descriptive-quantitative method, data were gathered through survey questionnaires from 65 student interns and 15 Host Training Establishment (HTE) supervisors. Findings re-vealed both similarities and gaps in perceptions. For basic skills, em-ployers placed more importance on communication, computer liter-acy, and being good with numbers than students. In hard skills, em-ployers valued financial reporting, data analytics, risk assessment, and business acumen more than students did. For interpersonal skills, employers emphasized collaboration and negotiation, while students ranked them lower. In 21st-century skills, employers rated initiative and ICT literacy higher than students. Finally, regarding supplementary skills, employers gave greater importance to deci-sion-making and data analysis 鈥� areas where students showed less awareness. The results indicate a disconnect between academic preparation and industry expectations, highlighting the need for stronger collaboration between schools and employers.



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