An Examination of the Relationship between Human Capital Types and Employability Perceptions: A Sample of a Foundation Vocational School

As a correlational survey study using prediction design, this study focuses on the relationship between human capital types and employability perceptions based on the opinions of foundation vocational school students. The target population of the study consists of the students of the health vocational school of a foundation university operating in Istanbul in the 2018–2019 academic year. The sample consisted of 450 students. Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis techniques were conducted for the data analysis. The findings revealed that there were moderate level significant relationships between human capital types and employability self-perceptions of students. Social capital, labor market readiness and psychological capital are significant predictors of employability. While perceptions of students about human capital did not differ by class level, their perceptions of employability did. The psychological capital perceptions and employability perceptions of students who were working were found to be higher than those who were not. Furthermore, as students’ family income levels rose, their expectations about the prospective income when participating in labor force were found to increase correspondingly. As a result, this study revealed a relationship between human capital and employability. However, vocational school education was not found to sufficiently create the expected level of human capital among students, and students’ perceptions of employability were found to be influenced by non-educational variables, such as family income and being currently employed.