ISSN: 2265-6294

Employment, Job Satisfaction and Competencies of Agricultural Engineering Graduates in Romblon State University, Philippines

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Ester L. Forlales, Rey P. Lilang

Abstract

This paper focused on (1) Graduates’ employment status considering application of knowledge from preparatory subjects, fundamental agriculture, basic engineering, and professional agricultural engineering; (2) Job satisfaction with work condition, salaries and benefits, career growth and job-course relevance; (3) Competencies in engineering management skills (4) Strengths and weaknesses of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering program and (5) Differences on feedbacks about graduates’ management skills. Two sets of questionnaires were used in gathering the data. Using t-test, employers and graduates equally revealed that graduates’ knowledge and skills in preparatory subjects were often applied whereas those in fundamental agriculture, basic and professional agricultural engineering were seldom applied. Major strengths of the program were about computer and info technology, project evaluation, and agricultural wastes management, however weaknesses were on fish nutrition, wood-metal works, machine elements, communication skills, professional agricultural engineering expertise and employment in non-agricultural sectors. Graduates were satisfied with work condition, career growth opportunities, salaries and benefits. They performed very satisfactorily engineering competencies in planning, organizing, leadership, and human relations but not in communication skills. Improvement in licensure examination, job placement services and curriculum revisit are recommended to make graduates more competitive.

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