Employability Skills: Career Challenges For Fresh Bachelor Of Business Administration (BBA) Graduates In Pakistan

Abstract

Employability skills are essential for Pakistani Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) fresh graduates. The job market is hardly optimistic for her recent BBA graduate. Employers now have different standards to measure a multitude of skills and competencies in addition to the required training. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan recently launched the new four-year BBA degree program to raise student proficiency and communication expertise as well as their understanding of fundamental business concepts and principles to meet the expectations of employers.

This research study was conducted to investigate employability skills and the expectations of employers. We used phenomenological research methodology to carry out our investigation. We developed a list of 52 employability skills after conducting a focus group with ten experts. We chose a sample of 100 firms using a stratified random probability sampling technique from those listed with the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). One hundred department heads were sent the list through email and instructed to rank only six of the skills as prerequisites for a recent business graduate to appear in interviews. Ninety department heads responded to our survey. They identified skills as subject-specific theoretical knowledge, communication skills, confidence, attitude, corporate dressing and personal grooming, and willingness to learn.

We conducted a focus group with the same experts once more to learn how new business graduates should develop these employability skills and to acquire professional advice for recent business graduates. We used thematic analysis to analyse the qualitative data. The research study's findings can be useful to graduates in both academia and business.