EMPLOYABILITY, CAREER ADAPTABILITY, AND FUTUREORIENTED EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO WORK TRANSITION OF COLLEGE GRADUATING STUDENTS OF A PHILIPPINE HEI: POST COVID-19 STUDY

Abstract

This study explored the importance of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) by working closely with career counseling and guidance teams to develop programs that build students' confidence and resilience to mitigate anxiety and stress while preparing for their transition to the labor market in the post-COVID-19 economy. This study examined the effect of graduating student-level characteristics (GSLC), specifically employability skills and career adaptability behaviors, on the anticipatory emotions of college students transitioning from school to work. Data were collected through an online survey involving 754 students enrolled in internship courses in their final year of college. 44% reported feeling anxious about this transition, with 78% reporting anxiety at levels 5 to 8 on a 10-point scale. The GSLC model fit the data well, explaining 24.5% of the variance in anticipatory emotions, with four factors being significant predictors (P < 0.05). The findings revealed that students who feel less confident about their disciplinary expertise, career decidedness, and occupational self-efficacy are likely to report negative anticipatory emotions (anxiety), similar to students who are confident in their interpersonal skills. Student suggestions gathered from qualitative feedback corroborated the results, which offered ways to enhance school programs that prepared them for work. These results underscore the crucial role of HEIs in preparing students for employment, providing quality education, and offering sufficient mental health resources.