Challenges associated with transitioning from graduate to employee are often attributed to a lack of “work readiness”. A useful tool to address this issue is a valid and reliable measurement scale for graduate work readiness (GWR), which is the purpose of this study.
Using a mixed-method exploratory sequential design, this study draws from a priori conceptual knowledge of GWR to refine and validate a new 67-item scale. It also explores the interrelationships between factors to establish the nomological network. A sample of eight students participated in focus group discussions and individual interviews to pilot test the scale, after which another sample of 101 second-year university students completed a GWR survey.
A partial least squares-structural equation modelling with 101 survey responses confirmed the original four-factor solution, comprising cognitive, metacognition, intrapersonal and interpersonal domains organised into a hierarchical structure, six lower-order constructs: critical thinking, innovative thinking, problem-solving, planning and organisation, collaborative leadership and social self-efficacy mapped onto three higher-order constructs, namely cognitive, metacognition and interpersonal, while the intrapersonal construct was not hierarchically organised. The validated model comprised 35 items with good internal reliability and validity. The results also indicated statistical evidence that the metacognition and intrapersonal constructs influenced the interpersonal construct and the intrapersonal construct significantly affected the cognitive and metacognition constructs.
This study provides a new validated scale for measuring students’ and graduates’ work readiness more robustly than previous scales.
