The role of employability in students during academic experience: a preliminary study through PLS-PM technique

Abstract

In the current socio-economic scenario, affected by constant changes inthe labor market, employability found greater echo. Universities frequently adopt strategies aimed at improving the employability and usefulness of theareas of competence, motivation and interests of young graduates and workers. In this study a preliminary research was conducted on a sample of 84 university students who attended a consulting service at the University of Salento, the Career Service Office. The average age of the sample was 26.74 years (DS = 4.95), 63% women, 71.4% unemployed. The tool used was a questionnaire-interview. The aim of this research was to assess the role of employability and its influence on personal variables and active work behaviours, as job searching activities. Analyses were conducted through PLS-PM technique, a non-parametrical SEM modeling, and demonstrated that employability affects job search and personal efficacy, while personal efficacy had a non signicant relation with job search behaviours.