Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness
As the demands of the modern workforce evolve, universities are increasingly challenged to provide academic knowledge and the practical and transferable skills necessary for students’ career success. This study investigates the alignment between undergraduate students’ career aspirations, their perc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/40 |
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| author | Joel Weijia Lai Lei Zhang Chun Chau Sze Fun Siong Lim |
| author_facet | Joel Weijia Lai Lei Zhang Chun Chau Sze Fun Siong Lim |
| author_sort | Joel Weijia Lai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the demands of the modern workforce evolve, universities are increasingly challenged to provide academic knowledge and the practical and transferable skills necessary for students’ career success. This study investigates the alignment between undergraduate students’ career aspirations, their perceived skill development, and the role of higher education institutions in bridging the skills gap. To address this issue, a comprehensive survey was conducted among undergraduate students to gather data on their career aspirations, their awareness of the skills required for their chosen careers, and their perceptions of how well their university supports their skill development. Using machine learning methods such as hierarchical clustering and <i>k</i>-nearest neighbors for classification, coupled with non-parametric statistical analysis such as the Mann–Whitney <i>U</i> and Chi-squared (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mi>χ</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>) tests to understand students’ perceptions of their career preparedness, the findings from this study provide valuable insights into how higher education institutions can prepare students for the workforce and highlight areas where improvements are needed to better support students in achieving their career goals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2a638305f2c44795b5c532361cb790e9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-2a638305f2c44795b5c532361cb790e92025-01-24T13:30:19ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-01-011514010.3390/educsci15010040Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career PreparednessJoel Weijia Lai0Lei Zhang1Chun Chau Sze2Fun Siong Lim3Institute for Pedagogical Innovation, Research and Excellence, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, SingaporeInstitute for Pedagogical Innovation, Research and Excellence, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, SingaporeInstitute for Pedagogical Innovation, Research and Excellence, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, SingaporeInstitute for Pedagogical Innovation, Research and Excellence, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, SingaporeAs the demands of the modern workforce evolve, universities are increasingly challenged to provide academic knowledge and the practical and transferable skills necessary for students’ career success. This study investigates the alignment between undergraduate students’ career aspirations, their perceived skill development, and the role of higher education institutions in bridging the skills gap. To address this issue, a comprehensive survey was conducted among undergraduate students to gather data on their career aspirations, their awareness of the skills required for their chosen careers, and their perceptions of how well their university supports their skill development. Using machine learning methods such as hierarchical clustering and <i>k</i>-nearest neighbors for classification, coupled with non-parametric statistical analysis such as the Mann–Whitney <i>U</i> and Chi-squared (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mi>χ</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>) tests to understand students’ perceptions of their career preparedness, the findings from this study provide valuable insights into how higher education institutions can prepare students for the workforce and highlight areas where improvements are needed to better support students in achieving their career goals.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/40career preparednessskills identificationperception surveyhigher educationlearning analytics |
| spellingShingle | Joel Weijia Lai Lei Zhang Chun Chau Sze Fun Siong Lim Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness Education Sciences career preparedness skills identification perception survey higher education learning analytics |
| title | Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness |
| title_full | Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness |
| title_fullStr | Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness |
| title_short | Learning Analytics for Bridging the Skills Gap: A Data-Driven Study of Undergraduate Aspirations and Skills Awareness for Career Preparedness |
| title_sort | learning analytics for bridging the skills gap a data driven study of undergraduate aspirations and skills awareness for career preparedness |
| topic | career preparedness skills identification perception survey higher education learning analytics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/40 |
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