RELIABILITY OF SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRES: DO ARCHITECTURE POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OVERESTIMATE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS? FEEDBACK FROM GRADUATES AND EMPLOYERS

Year 2018, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 71 - 81, 29.06.2018

Joy Maina

Abstract

This study examines the
reliability of 94 self-assessed questionnaires employing architecture postgraduates
and employers via t-tests and descriptive statistics. This is important as many
studies employ self-assessment questionnaires with likert-scale responses to
assess employability skills in non-technical disciplines such as design and the
humanities. However, first-degree graduates often overestimate their skills in
comparison with results from employers. Results reveal no significant
differences between postgraduates and their employers for generic (t =-1.34, p =0.183)
and professional (t=1.38, p = 0.17)
skills and competencies. The study concludes
that questionnaires self-assessed by postgraduate students are reliable for assessing
employability potentials of architecture graduates.

Keywords

Architecture, Employability, Overestimate, Postgraduates

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