Alignment of employability skills in management education: students’, faculty and employers’ perceptions

Martínez-Lobatón J.I.; Beingolea A.M.; Riva-Zaferson F. · International Conference on Higher Education Advances (2026) · DOI: 10.4995/head26.2026.21832

Resumen

This study explores the alignment between undergraduate students’ and faculty members’ perceptions of employability skills and employer expectations in management education. Using an externally derived employer skill ranking as a benchmark, survey data were collected from 464 undergraduate students and 68 faculty members at a leading Peruvian university. Rank-based nonparametric analyses were conducted to examine overall alignment and identify competency-level gaps. The findings reveal substantial agreement between academic stakeholders and employers regarding the general importance of employability skills. However, persistent discrepancies emerge in the relative prioritization of specific competencies, which tend to be systematically underestimated by students and faculty. These results suggest that, beyond formal curricular alignment, greater emphasis on the development and application of these skills within teaching and learning processes is needed to enhance graduates’ labor market readiness.

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú