Abstract

Engineering graduates entering the labor market devote their four years to education and professional development. Engineering universities pass graduates into the job market assuming that they are ready to succeed professionally and personally. However, employers all over the world have expressed that recent graduates lack employability skills, and a gap exists between the skills they gain and those needed in the job market. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to analyze the employability skills of engineering graduates. Research shows that studies carried out in Pakistan have mostly adopted a one-sided approach by either analyzing  the employers’ or only graduates’ perspectives. Therefore, this study aims to provide the perspective of both graduates and employers and experts from academia. This research has adopted a mixed-method design. By using purposive sampling, a sample of 210 graduates and 40 employers was obtained for quantitative analysis, and 7 interviews were conducted with academic experts for qualitative analysis. Three skills are identified namely technical skills, general skills, and communication skills by adopting PEC-prescribed skills criteria. Both findings show that technical, general, and communication skills are highly relevant in the labor market for engineering graduates. Specifically, “Having competency in theoretical engineering and research”, followed by “Ability to design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data”, followed by “Ability to use modern tools, equipment, and technologies (other than computers)” are important in technical skills. In general skills, teamwork, and creativity are identified as important for engineering graduates. Academic experts held that industry-academia linkages should be strengthened, and work-based learning and practical courses should be incorporated to prepare students for the job market. The study adds by giving a detailed analysis of both the graduates’ and employers’ perspectives as well as the perspective of the academic community.   The study provides practical directions for engineering graduates to develop the skills required in the job market and  to the academia to enhance their collaboration  with industry.