1

A TRACER STUDY OF THE EMPLOYABILITY OF BSBA-NIGHT COLLEGE

PROGRAM IN DE LA SALLE ARANETA UNIVERSITY SY. 2018-2020

A Tracer Study
Presented to the Faculty of the College of Business, Management, and Accountancy
DE LA SALLE ARANETA UNIVERSITY
Victoneta Ave., Malabon City, Metro Manila

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

By

Ala, Ma. Edwina A.

Arenillo, Alyssa Marie A.
Balutan, Hazel Ann L.
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Acknowledgement

The completion of this paper could not have been possible without the individuals who

provided us assistance and guidance. Their efforts and continued support are greatly

appreciated.

First and foremost, we would like to thank DLSAU for giving us this learning

opportunity. We are delighted to help and support them in their efforts to improve.

Second, we want to thank our research assistants, Huzaida Langgal, Pamela Pahate,

Marlon Tan, Patricia Pareja, and Iris Sun, for all of their hard work and sleepless nights.

There are no words to explain how grateful we are. This paper is dedicated to all of you.

Third, thanks to our encouraging family, your words of encouragement when times go

rough are greatly appreciated. It was great and reassuring to know that you were all here

for us.

Above all, Lord God, thank you for giving us strength, patience, and wisdom to complete

this paper. We owe everything to you!

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Abstract

TITLE : A Tracer Study of the Employability of BSBA-Night

College Program in De La Salle Araneta University
SY. 2018-2020

RESEARCHER : Ala, Arenillo, & Balutan

ADVISER :

SCHOOL : De La Salle Araneta University

DEGREE CONFERRED : Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

In these predicament times, higher education institutions are challenged to create

relevant curriculum that will provide competent graduates and matches the need of the
labor market, for it is crucial in long-term economic growth. The purpose of this study is
to determine the employability status of Night College Program graduates in De La Salle
Araneta University. A total of 60% of the total respondents who graduated from 2018-
2020 participated in the tracer study. An online survey served as an instrument, and the
data was interpreted using frequency, percentage, and ranks. Findings revealed that most
of the graduates are female and just recently graduated from the university. Moreover,
85% of the respondents are currently employed while 5% of them are not, and the major
reasons for their unemployment are because of family concerns, health-related issues, and
did not look for a job which contradicts the underlying reasons as to why unemployment
is contemporary, and that is because of job mismatch. Also, most of the graduates have a
permanent job and all of them are working locally. In addition, all of them perceived that
the university has prepared them to be competent in their respective degree because a
majority of them landed a job in less than five months that implies that they are highly
employable. In terms of skills, it shows that the university has equipped the graduates
with aligned soft skills that are relevant in their current jobs. However, the study
identified that there is a need for improvement in some areas of hard skills taught in the
university because it discloses that most of these skills are irrelevant to their current
employment. Thus, the graduates recommend improving the curriculum provided in this
program. Furthermore, they also suggested that improvement from facility, faculty, and
schedule should be considered by the institution for all of these recommendations can
improve the effectiveness of the program.
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Table of Contents

Page

TITLE PAGE.................................................................................................................1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.............................................................................................2

ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................3

TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................4

LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................5

LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................6

LIST OF APPENDICES................................................................................................7

CHAPTER

1 Introduction......................................................................................................8

2 Methods...........................................................................................................25

3 Results and Discussions ................................................................................27

Conclusion.......................................................................................................44

Recommendation.............................................................................................45

REFERENCES............................................................................................................47

APPENDICES.............................................................................................................52
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List of Tables

Table Page

1 Job before NCP................................................................................................29

2 Unemployment Reasons..................................................................................31

3 Present Occupation..........................................................................................32

4 Comparison of Previous and Present Job.........................................................33

5 Soft Skills/Competencies.................................................................................38

6 Hard Skills/Competencies................................................................................39

7 Recommendation for the BSBA-NCP Program..............................................40

8 Recommendation for DLSAU.........................................................................42

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List of Figures

Figure Page

1 Distribution of Respondents by Sex................................................................27

2 Distribution of Respondents by Year Graduated.............................................28

3 Employment Status in terms of Present Occupation........................................30

4 Employment Status..........................................................................................35

5 Place of Work..................................................................................................35

6 How long have you stayed in your present job?..............................................36

7 Do you think DLSAU has prepared you well in the current job?....................37
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List of Appendices

Appendix Page

A Author’s Consent.............................................................................................52

B Research Instrument.........................................................................................53
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Introduction

Adapting to the 21st century is a trial that not everyone can absolve. It requires a

lot of exertion as change is considered as constant, and the livelihood of people is driven

to be in sync to these shifts. And so, people strive hard to acquire jobs that would enable

them to appease their needs. At the same time, the labor market in the world demands

skillful workers, a reasonable standard yet complex to filter. However, not all graduates

are proficient enough to fit in those standards. Some settle for what is available and

eventually end up with mismatched job opportunities, or worse, become unemployed. As

a result, the unemployment rate in the Philippines, unfortunately, increases. The

Philippine Statistics Authority (2020) stated that the unemployment rate rose by 5.3

percent, based on the results of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) in January 2020, which

translates to 2.4 million jobless Filipinos. This data excludes the time of the pandemic,

where unemployment rate in the country hit its rock bottom.

In this regard, educational institutions play an important role in providing

professional training to produce globally competitive graduates. The De La Salle Araneta

University is an academic institute that shapes every student to be equipped, well-

rounded, and future-ready individuals. De La Salle Araneta is among other universities

that offer a Business Administration Program, as well as those few universities that

provide programs like Night College Programs (NCP). This scheme caters to a

population of students who cannot attend regular classes due to their professional

involvement and busy schedule, making them only available for evening classes.
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Accordingly, NCP students are either non-professionals, young professionals, middle-

aged, or adult learners - whose objective is to graduate and earn a degree. Nevertheless,

there is no exception among the graduates in the changing demands of contemporary job

placements. 

The competition of comprehensive national strength is increasingly fierce in the

world in recent years. Strong comprehensive national strength needs powerful human

resources (Wang, 2014). High-quality laborers and skilled talents can be trained through

education. Many countries in the world attach great importance to the development of

education.

Singh (n.d.) stated that graduates should develop employability from higher

education since it has been assumed that accomplishing a higher degree equates to getting

a good job. Therefore, academic institutions should expand the skill development process

to match the requirement of employment. To do that, a tracer study must be conducted to

attest to the effectiveness of the program. Alumni or graduates are one of the reliable

bases to evaluate the relevance of the university's program in the present job market.

Specifically, this study aims to determine the employability of the BSBA-Night College

Program in De La Salle Araneta University. Furthermore, to gather particular details, that

could be used as a benchmark of curriculum enhancement in response to the fast-

changing demands of the labor market.

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Literature Review

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). The Bachelor of

Science major in Business Administration offers a wide range of specialized majors

related to business operations. The programs’ curriculum typically covers topics such as

Marketing, Finance, Operations, Human Resources, and Office Management. These

allow students to learn about the different methods and policies regarding Business

Management. Business Administration is a very versatile field and obtaining a degree in

Business Administration can be used on a professional level, that is, as an employee or

for independent and personal purposes that is, operating your own business too.

(Aboje,2020). Through Business Administration courses, analytical skills, organizational

skills, management skills, and interpersonal skills are honed, enabling students to become

excellent leaders. Moreover, it will help them acquire better opportunities, professional

growth, and sound financial decisions. (Jao, 2020)

Marketing Management. Marketing Management smoothen the process of

exchange of ownership of goods and services from seller to the buyer. Marketing

Management, like all other areas of management, comprises the function of planning,

organising, directing, coordinating, and controlling. (Bhardawaj, n.d). Furthermore,

Marketing Management focuses on selling, advertising as well as building a good

relationship to customers. It enhanced the students’ capabilities in terms of Marketing

Management: the art and science of choosing target markets and getting, keeping, and
 11

growing customers through creating, delivering, and communicating superior customer

value. (Kotler et al., 2006). According to CMO No. 17 Series of 2017, the possible

careers for BSBA-Marketing Management are Management Trainee in Marketing,

Marketing Assistant, Account Executive, Merchandising Assistant, PR/Advertising

Assistant, Service Crew, Customer Service Agent/Representative, Junior Sales Trainer,

Receptionist, Entrepreneur, Product/Brand Assistant, and Order/Billing Assistant.

Night College Program. The Night College Program or Evening classes program

is intended for students who aspired to receive a degree but unable to attend on a

conventional schedule. It is common among professionals with day jobs and stay-at-home

parents who are also known as part-time or nontraditional learners. Evening classes offer

a flexible schedule to students, making both studying and working convenient. (“How Do

Evening Classes Work”, n.d). According to Felce (2018), students pursuing an

undergraduate degree can find the night college program as an excellent choice because it

gives students the freedom to create a schedule that works best for them.

A number of college institutions and universities are offering night classes in the

Philippines. These include: Manila Business College, AMA University and College, La

Consolacion University Philippines, De La Salle University- Dasmarinas, and De La

Salle Araneta University. La Consolacion University, a catholic and autonomous

university in Bulacan, offers a wide array of courses for night college such as BSBA, BS

Accounting Information System, BS Computer Science, BS Information Technology, BS

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Social Work, and BS Education. Meanwhile, Manila Business College offers night

classes for students who desire to pursue BSBA-Major in Management only. AMA

University and College, which is also known for high-quality education in the field of

Information technology (IT), started offering evening classes in 2015 not only to BSBA

Programs but also to BS IT, BS Computer Science, and Aircraft Maintenance.

DLSU-D and DLSAU, members of the De La Salle System, are providing night

college scholarships to working and economically challenged students. DLSU-D started

the night college program to BSBA major in Management 23 years ago by Dr. Jorge A.

Camposano, the Dean of College of Business Administration. Through the help and

support of the university, the university now offers several courses such as BSBA, BS

Office Administration, BS Multimedia Arts, and BS Information Technology. (De La

Salle University- Dasmariñas, n.d.)

De La Salle Araneta University, formerly known as Gregorio Araneta University

(GAUF), what is F in GAUF? became a Lasallian institution in 2002. The university is

renowned as a pioneer in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Inspired by the ideals and

philosophies of its founder, Don Salvador Z. Araneta, and Patron of Christian Teachers,

St. John Baptist de La Salle, the university offers a scholarship and financial aid for

excellent and underprivileged students, making the education affordable and accessible.

One of the programs that the university offers is the Night College Program (NCP). As

stated in DLSAU-TED Student Handbook 2020, Section 9 Night College Program, it was
 13

designed for working students who aimed to earn a college degree while working. The

university employs a Modular Executive Program Approach and presently offers a BSBA

major in Marketing. The program aimed to provide several simulations, activities, and

training, allowing them to adapt to real-life business situations and become competitive

in their field. NCP was established in 2015, and its first batch graduated in 2019.

Unemployment Rate in the Philippines. The percentage of unemployed

employees in the overall labor force is known as the unemployment rate. Workers are

classified as unemployed if they constantly seek a job but unable to find one. Both

working and unemployed people in an economy make up the total labor force

(FocusEconomics, 2021). The unemployment rate is the most common economic

indicator used to assess an economy's health. It fluctuates with the market cycle, rising

during recessions and declining during expansions. It is one of the most widely monitored

measures by policymakers, investors, and the general public (Bondarenko, 2017). In

recent years, the Philippine economy is performing excellently. According to the World

Bank (2021), the Philippines has one of the most diverse economies in the East Asia

Pacific Region because of the vibrant labor market, wage growth, which results in rising

urbanization. Business activity is booming, with notable gains in the services market,

such as BPO, real estate, tourism, and the finance and insurance industries. Based on the

labor force survey that the PSA conducted last July 2020, 41.3 million Filipinos were

employed while 7.1 million were underemployed. Despite the rapid economic growth, it

is still not enough to reduce the unemployment rate because of the rapid population
 14

growth and slow job creation. Also, degree holders face difficulties deciphering how to

find a respectable and well-paying job in a third-world country like the Philippines. In

light of this, the curriculum of educational institutions should be adaptive to the demands

of employers to satisfy their needs. The policies and systems of education must be

reformed and strengthened to meet the demands of the labor markets and fill in the gaps

required to prepare its people to be competitive, both in the local and international

settings.

Reasons of Unemployment

In the review and analysis made by Alkatheri and Al-Ghamdi (2019), it is proven

that unemployment is present in many countries and that job mismatch is the leading

reason why it is still happening. In addition, they also sought that reactive solutions are

being used rather than being proactive by the past studies they analyzed, to solve the

unemployment problem. However, the authors strongly agree that being reactive in this

problem is not an effective measure to be for it cannot respond quickly to the

unpredictable market demand.

A phenomenon of mismatch between graduates and labor market exists in the

Philippines. According to researchers of the Philippine Social Science Council, findings

revealed weak linkages between education and employment. Studies showed no strong

relevance between educational attainments, employment levels and salary rates. The

Philippine government should pursue to develop the full potential of the people.

Consequently, Razak et al.,(2014) stated in their study that job mismatch, employability
 15

skills and English proficiency has a positive relationship toward unemployment. Also,

they emphasized that among these three factors, English proficiency has the most

significant influence for graduates to be employed. However, this is contradicting the

findings of Kadir et al., (2020), it shows that unrealistic salary, job mismatch and

employability skills are the main factors and that English proficiency is not that

significant to have so that they can land on their target job. For the reason that not all

companies are requiring the said skills especially on local companies and may only

depend on the choice of the employer. They also emphasize that technical and soft skills

should be strengthened by higher educational institutions (HEI) to their students before

they graduate.

In a different study, graduate’s unemployment can also be measured in an

individual perspective for the reason that it revealed a new understanding why this

problem is still happening. Hwang (2017) sought that at an individual level there are

internal and external factors influencing graduates attitude. It shows that there are four

factors; market condition, over education, gap of perspectives and skills and ability. He

emphasized that graduate’s unemployment is also a social issue that also needs to be

given attention by the society. An association between the public and private sector to

propose a solution is a must for it will greatly concern the economic growth of one’s

country.

Training model is comparatively outdated and basic ability is weak. The basic

policies and system are admittedly far from perfect; thus, the degree earned for intended
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competitiveness is not resilient to meet the demands of both local and international

standards.

Manufacture and agriculture are the two pillars of the national economy in the

Philippines. Service industry plays an important role in the national economy. The

Philippines is one of the highest birth rates and the largest number of population countries

in the world. Therefore, the cultivation of more high-quality technical talents and labors

to solve the employment problem has become the focus of the Philippine economic and

social development.

Under the market economy condition, the quality of the labor force is becoming

more and more important to the economic development. With the development of society

and economy, the requirement of the labor force is getting higher and higher. Developing

the economy relies on advanced technology. In order to transform advanced technology

into productive forces, a large number of workers who can master advanced technology

are needed.

Also, the cost-benefit ratio is an important key factor in the assessment to bestow

education and trainings that are more directly aligned with the demands of the labor

market and would likewise satisfy the growing needs to provide employment for the

people whether for local or international service.

Many hindrances are shown to be the reason why new graduates are struggling to

find a new job. One of these is having an oversupply of potential workers and limited

vacancies of available jobs in the market, (Connolly, 2019) In addition, soft skills are
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shown to be a highly needed skill for a graduate to conveniently land a job and one of the

employer’s expectations. However, based on the study made by the People Management

Association of the Philippines (PMAP), four out of ten graduates lacked these skills.

Moreover, mismatch in the acquired skills and in demand jobs are still the leading cause

of unemployment in the Philippines, (Manila Bulletin, 2019)

Skills. According to Lumague (2017), skills are one of the qualifications that

employers consider when hiring. It shows the abilities or capabilities of the employees in

performing a particular work or task. There are two employability skills that HR

managers usually analyze and measure in the hiring process to determine whether the

employee is the best person for the job. These are soft skills and hard skills. In

conformity with the review of literature by the author, soft skills are referred to as self-

taught or self-developed skills on working harmoniously with other people, whereas hard

skills are technical skills that vary according to what industry an individual belongs to.

Soft Skills. Soft skills are personality or behavioral traits that employees and

applicants have in relation to interacting and working with other people. (Patacsil &

Tablatin, 2017) 

It is emphasized in the study made by Binsaeed et al., (2017), that soft skills are a

substantial skill needed in a workplace. Also, they determined that hard skills were not

only an employer is looking for, but rather a combination of specialized skills and soft

skills that they find vital in their organization and sees it as an asset. However, they

ascertain that graduates focus on improving their hard skills and tend to overlook the
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need to also sharpen their soft skills which create a mismatch that give rise to low

recruitment by organizations. They are convinced that the government, HEI’s, and most

importantly the students and graduates must recognize and effectively shift on what the

market is demanding to be able to establish a stable workforce that will benefit all. 

Bharathi (2016) pointed out the continuous gap between the expected and

acquired competencies by the learners, that the present education tends to focus on

memory skills and theoretical knowledge rather than the personal skills demanded by the

labor market, such as communication skills. It is the ability to express oneself through

verbal or non-verbal forms, which require listening, proper grammar, pronunciation,

accent, speaking, writing, and reading. According to the author, communication skill is

the core of employability skills. Whilst the English language is the medium of

communication globally, English proficiency has become significant to everyone's life as

it is the main language for academics, media, and international commerce. The study has

proven that English skills boost confidence, enabling individuals to convey a message,

present, and speak professionally toward career growth and better employment

opportunities.

According to Jobstreet.com, reported by Rappler in 2018, other than the

experience, there are top 3 skills employers look for fresh graduates. These are work

ethics, communication skills, and analytical thinking. Most employers prefer individuals

who possess these interpersonal skills to promote productivity and positivity in an

organization, especially in this dynamic and competitive environment. It was also

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believed that fresh graduates lack task management efficiency, leadership potential,

exhibiting customer empathy, and analysis of situations. These data are based on the

survey conducted by JobStreet.com in October-December 2017 and February 2018 to 503

employers in the Philippines.

Supporting this data, the study conducted by Alvarez (2020) for BSBA-

Marketing graduates at Isabela State University also showed that the ability to work well

with others is an important element towards career success. It was assessed by the

graduates that the top three important skills in their employment are critical thinking

skills, human relations, and core values formation.  Moreover, the author suggested

covering topics like Personality Development and Entrepreneurship in their seminar and

training so that students will acquire self-confidence, competitiveness, and self-reliance.

This signifies the role of soft skills which contributes in the marketability of graduates. 

This study will focus on soft skills like- communication skills, analytical skills,

human relation skills, commitment to work, problem-solving skills, decision-making

skills, critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, supervisory skills, self-directed

skills, teamwork, work ethics, flexibility, resource management skills, and computer

skills which are patterned from the study of Catacutan et a., (2019) in accordance with

BSBA Learning Outcomes as set by the CHED policies, standards, and guidelines for

BSBA.  

Hard Skills. Hard skills are abilities that enable an individual to handle job-

specific responsibilities and duties. These abilities can be used on tasks and procedures,
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such as tools, equipment, or software. They are usually described in job postings and job

descriptions and are job specific. These skills can be acquired from formal education and

training programs, such as college, apprenticeships, short-term training schools, online

courses, and certification programs, as well as on-the-job training (Doyle, 2020). 

The findings of the study conducted by Catacutan et al. (2019) showed that

advertising skills, marketing strategy planning, and service/ product presentation skills

are the top three hard skills obtained by Marketing graduates in the university. 

Meanwhile, advertising skills, sales report preparation, and product idea presentation are

the top three hard skills they find useful in their current employment. This implies that

other than creating an advertising piece, universities must also focus on training that can

enhance the two useful above-mentioned skills because both of which did not qualify as

the top skills the graduates have learned.

Employability of Graduates

Calma (2018), determined the significant difference between the area of

specialization and the length of time the graduates get hired. He stated that regardless of

the field taken by the graduates under the Business Administration program, they are able

to land a job and get employed in the same manner the other graduates get a job. In

addition, findings of his study shows that communication skills are the most necessary

skill a graduate need to acquire, for it is frequently used in work environments.

Moreover, he assesses through graduates' suggestion that to be able to improve the

employability of the graduates, training, seminars, and job immersion should be

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integrated to the curriculum provided by the University so that students can apply it not

only in theoretical knowledge but also in real life context.

In the study made by Abas and Imam (2016), they determined the relationship

between the employability skills and contextual performance of a graduate’s and

concluded that not all employability skills are significant to an employee in relation to

their contextual performance to be advantageous in their workplace. In addition, they

found out that employees who are capable of thinking and problem-solving skills give

them the advantage of achieving the desired contextual behavior they need. Moreover,

they also assessed that teamwork skills or a capability to work with others can moderately

influence their contextual performance. They also agreed that to achieve the objective of

producing competitive graduates, the government especially the HEI should make

adjustments in their guideline and policy that is aligned and will cater the need of the

constantly changing labor market.

Another study shows that age, academic performance (cumulative grade point

average) and other generic skills; interpersonal skills, communication skills, time

management skills, teamwork ability and internship agreement has a positive influence

on assessing the employability of graduates, (Fenta et al., 2019).

In the tracer study that was conducted in Pangasinan State University, De

Guzman et al., (2020), assess that integrity, excellent communication skills and shared

responsibility are the most important skills they consider in their current or prospect

employment. Findings also state that graduates consumed a total of 180 days before they
 22

got their first job and spent an average of 484.40 days in their employer before they

transition to another one. It also revealed in their study that academic award receivers

have more chances and are more likely to land a job in a number of days rather than the

non-academic award receivers.

In the study of (Ramos et al., 2008) about the employability skills of BSBA-

Marketing Management students of Tarlac State University, the skills that students need

to have to be effective in today’s business world are, learning and innovation skills,

information, media, and technology skills, and life and career skills. Skills such as

creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving were all under the

student’s learning and innovative skills. While, information literacy, media literacy, and

ICT literacy are under information, media, and technology skills. Moreover, under life

and career skills, are flexibility and adaptability, initiative, and social skills, productivity

and accountability, leadership and responsibility. The results of the study shows that,

“there is no significant difference between the students and companies' evaluation of

graduate employability skills” which indicates that the skills stated of their graduate

students meets the demand of the companies they’re working for. 

Many hindrances are shown to be the cause of unemployment and that job

mismatch and employability skills of a graduate are the main factors that influence the

existence of it. Thus, this study sought to determine the status of the graduate’s

employability and to assess the performance of the school on the services they offered

and how they can improve it to better serve the needs of the students and the changing
 23

labor market. It also shows that a right combination of hard and soft skills are what

makes a graduate competitive in the labor market. Furthermore, past studies indicate that

the government, policymakers and HEI play an important role to propose a solution that

will align the graduate’s ability to the needs of the industry. 

Statement of the Problem

The study sought to find the answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents as to:

a) Sex

b) Year Graduated

c) Job before NCP

d) Employment Status

2. What are the competencies or skills learned by the DLSAU graduates in terms of:

a) Soft Skills

b) Hard Skills

3. What are the competencies or skills learned by the DLSAU graduates that are useful

in their present job in terms of:

a) Soft Skills

b) Hard Skills

4. What are the suggestions given by the respondents on how DLSAU can further

improve its program/curriculum?

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5. What are the suggestions given by the respondents on how DLSAU can further

improve?

The findings of the study will benefit the following recipients:

1. Commission on Higher Education (CHED)- To assist the agency in formulating

or designing curriculum and programs offered to students under Night College

Program. 

2. De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU)- To improve the program and trainings

that the university provides in order to be relevant to the demands of the labor

market and be globally competitive. 

3. Faculty- To be knowledgeable on the demands and expectations of the labor

market, and therefore improve their pedagogical skills and teaching styles to

provide high quality and innovative education. 

4. Students- The students who are currently enrolled in this program and future NCP

students will be equipped with knowledge and awareness on the essential skills

they must further focus on and develop to keep up with the global labor market.

Moreover, it will help them to prepare for the job and industry they would engage

in in the future. 
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5. Future Researchers- This study can be the guide of the researchers who wanted to

explore further the BSBA-NCP program. 

Methods

The research focused on BSBA-Night College Program graduates from 2018-

2020 of De La Salle Araneta University, located at Potrero, Malabon City. To attain the

objectives of the study, the researchers employed descriptive quantitative research in

order to gather accurate and in-depth data. The research instrument used was modified

and patterned to the Graduate Tracer Study (GTS) under the CHED Memorandum Order

(CMO) No. 19 Series of 2012. To the extent of its modification, the authors processed a

validation by the Institutional Research and Publication Office (IRPO) before

distributing. (Catacutan et al., 2020). As a result, a 2-section questionnaire was

developed. The first section contains general information from the respondents such as

name, address, email address, contact number, sex, birthday, and year graduated. The

second section aims to collect relevant information about the employment status of the

respondents. It includes necessary questions to evaluate the skills acquired after

graduation and how they influenced their performance towards work. Specifically, these

are soft skills that refer to one’s interpersonal attributes and hard skills, which are
 26

specified abilities learned in a particular course/program. Moreover, there are open-ended

questions about the recommendation of the graduates to further improve the

program/curriculum and the university itself. 

To reach the BSBA-NCP graduates, the researchers requested the official list of

the graduates in the office of the Registrar- DLSAU. Considering the present situation

and pandemic, the researchers distributed the questionnaire online using Google Forms

and Messenger. A purposive sampling approach was used to select the targeted

population that are eligible to answer questions and provide information for the study.

After two weeks, 60% of the total population had answered the online survey and were

used in the study. For the statistical treatment, frequency, percentage, and ranks were

utilized to analyze the data gathered.

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Results and Discussions

The demographic information includes the data on sex, year graduated, job before

NCP, and employment status.

Gender
24
%

Male
Female

76
%

Figure 1. Distribution of Respondents by Sex

Figure 1 shows the distribution of respondents by sex. Majority of the respondents

are female, covering 26 respondents (76%) and 8 male covering the remaining percent of

the entire 34 respondents.

It shows that there is more female who enrolled and finished this program than

male as a way to finish their study for career advancement to achieve higher position in
 28

their jobs. This support the findings of Gino et al., (2015), that female is more likely to

enter higher education to develop and build up their knowledge because they are given

less exposure when it comes to high level positions in an organization, and that female

and male perceive differently the experience of attaining high level position.

Year Graduated
6%

2018
44%
2019
2020

50%

Figure 2. Distribution of Respondents by Year Graduated

From the figure above, the results show that 50% of the respondents graduated

from the year 2019, 44% from the year 2020, and 6% from the year 2018. The results

represent that majority of graduates who participated in the tracer study are graduates

from the year 2019 with 17 respondents.

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Table 1. Job before NCP

WHAT IS YOUR JOB BEFORE

F P
NCP?
Accounting Staff 2 6%
Account Associate 1 3%
Babysitter 1 3%
Beauty Consultant 1 3%
Business Owner 3 9%
Cook 1 3%
Executive Assistant 1 3%
Executive Secretary 2 6%
Food Attendant 1 3%
Government Employee 4 12%
HR Officer 1 3%
Lady Guard 1 3%
Office Staff 1 3%
Reservation Staff in Travel Agency 1 3%
Sales Associate 1 3%
Sales Verifier 1 3%
Service Crew 7 21%
Team Member 1 3%
Treasury Assistant 1 3%
Xerox Copier 1 3%
N/A 1 3%
TOTAL 34 100%
 30

Table 1 shows that the majority of graduates were working prior to enrolling as

BSBA-NCP students, with only one graduate being unemployed. Service crew,

government employee, and entrepreneur are the top three jobs they have. With 21

percent, the service crew has the highest ranking. These findings are in line with the

article published by PhilStar in 2016 stating that service staff is the most popular career

option for the reason that these jobs have flexible work shifts allowing one to work while

finishing their studies. Moreover, through various training and experience, individuals

can learn a wide range of competencies such as productivity skills, the ability to work

under pressure, customer service skills, communication skills, and other employability

skills essential in starting a business or pursuing a career. (The Freeman, 2016)

1
are you presently employed?
5
%

Yes
No
Never employed

8
5
%

Figure 3. Employment Status in terms of Present Occupation

The table above shows that 85% of the respondents are currently employed, 5%

are not, while no one answered that they have not yet experienced working. This infers

that the NCP completers were able to find a job after graduating from DLSAU.
 31

Table 2. Unemployment Reasons

Unemployment Reasons F RANK

Advance or further study 0 4th
Family concern and decided not 3 1st
to find a job
Health-related reasons 1 2nd
Lack of work experience 0 4th
No job opportunity 0 4th
Did not look for a job 1 2nd
Review/preparation for 0 4th
Board/Licensure exam
Other reasons 0 4th

Table 2 results show the reasons why 15% of the respondents are unemployed.

Reasons include family concerns, health-related issues, while others simply did not look

for a job. The findings contradict the leading reason found in past research why

unemployment is present and that is because of job mismatch, (Alkatheri and Al-Ghamdi,

2019). It shows that traced graduates are greatly influenced by their family when it comes

to job concerns because Filipinos are known to be family-oriented. Their decisions on

taking a job are highly dependent on the expectations and opinions of their family

members. (Wolfe & Hall, 2011).

How many months/years after graduation were you able to get a job?
 32

The majority of the graduates have responded that they have landed a job in less

than five months. Some took a span of one to three years, others got promoted on their

previous job, and some became business owners. These findings are similar to those of

Catacutan et al. (2019), who found that the majority of graduates are recruited within a

month to six months.

Table 3. Present Occupation

WHAT IS YOUR JOB AFTER

F P
NCP?

Admin Officer 1 3%
Operations Manager 1 3%
HR Manager 1 3%
Unemployed 5 15%
Government Employee/ Admin.
4 12%
Assistant IV
Lazada Warehouse Store Handler 1 3%
Purchasing Staff 1 3%
Business Owner 8 24%
Accounting Specialist 1 3%
Customer Marketing Associate 1 3%
BPO/Monitoring Agent 1 3%
Manager 1 3%
Associate Recruiter 1 3%
Product Trainer 1 3%
Procurement Officer 1 3%
Material Ang Logistic Supervisor 1 3%
Philsys / Registration Kit
1 3%
Operator
Professional Security Officer 1 3%
Sales Service Assistant 1 3%
 33

Admin and HR Assistant 1 3%

 TOTAL 34 100%

According to the table above, majority of graduates are currently employed, and

24 percent became business owners after completing the BSBA-NCP. These findings are

identical to Saukkonen's (2017) that graduates preferred entrepreneurship over working

in an organization. Moreover, this result is understandable since most individuals opted to

start a business this pandemic due to the implications set by the government to prevent

the spread of the virus. In fact, entrepreneurship have increased across the countries in

2020. (Altun, 2021)

Table 4. Comparison of Previous and Present Job

RESPONDENT WHAT IS YOUR JOB WHAT IS YOUR JOB

S BEFORE NCP? AFTER NCP?
1 Accounting Assistant Admin Officer
2 Sales Verifier Operations Manager
3 HR Officer HR Manager
4 Account Associate Unemployed
5 Service Crew Unemployed
Government Employee/
6 Government Employee
Admin. Assistant IV
Lazada Warehouse Store
7 At Xerox Copier
Handler
Reservation Staff In Travel
8 Purchasing Staff
Agency
9 Sales Associate Unemployed
10 Service Crew Unemployed
Business Owner Transport
11 Business Man
Services
12 Treasury Assistant Accounting Specialist
 34

13 Babysitter Store Owner

Customer Marketing
14 Beauty Consultant
Associate
15 Business Owner Business Owner
16 Accounting Staff BPO/Monitoring Agent
17 Service Crew Manager
Salon Manager/ Owner At
18 Team Member- Pizza Hut
Rachelle's Beauty Studio
Food Attendant/Kitchen
19 Associate Recruiter
Staff
20 Executive Secretary Product Trainer
Demolition And
21 Service Crew Construction /Business
Owner
22 Self Emplyoed Self Employed
23 Office Staff Self Employed
Mechanic And Business
24 Fastfood Kitchen Crew
Owner
25 Cook Procurement Officer
26 Service Crew Unemployed
Exec. Secretary Of SVP Of Material And Logistic
27
Operations Supervisor
Philsys / Registration Kit
28 Service Crew
Operator
Mompreneur / Brgy.
29 Brgy. Councilor
Councilor
City Government Employee /
30 City Government Employee
Administrative Aide Iv
31 Government Employee Government Employee
32 Lady Guard Professional Security Officer
33 N/A Sales Service Assistant
34 EA Admin and HR Assistant

The table above illustrates the comparison of each graduates' jobs before and after

completing the BSBA-NCP. Most of them have advanced in their careers from an entry-
 35

level job to a managerial position and business ownership, demonstrating that the

university has shaped their students effectively.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Probationary 7%

Self-employed 28%

Contractual 3%

Casual 10%

Regular or Permanent 52%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Figure 4. Present Employment Status

According to the graph above, 52% of respondents are regular and have a

permanent employment, 28% are self-employed, 10% are casual, 7% are probationary,

and 3% are contractual, while none are temporary. Notably, the majority of them are

regular employees.

Place of work

Philippines
Abroad

100%
 36

Figure 5. Place of work

Figure 5 presents that all respondents preferred working in the Philippines than

abroad. These findings are consistent with Cuadra et al. (2019), who found that graduates

desire to share their knowledge and skills in their native country, despite a World

Economic Forum (WEF) study indicating that 51.9 percent of the youths want to go

overseas in order to upskill and earn a high income. (Hasnan, 2019)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU STAYED IN YOUR PRESENT JOB?

More than 4 years

3-4 years

1-2 years

Less than 1 year

0% 200% 400% 600% 800% 1000% 1200%

Figure 6. How long have you stayed in your present job?

The results showed that 38% of the traced NCP graduates stayed in their job for

less than a year, 28% holding their position for 1-2 years, 3% are working for 3-4 years,

and 31% are in the career for more than 4 years. Expectedly, most of the respondents are

staying in their current job for less than a year since most of them are graduates from

S.Y. 2019-2020, which falls in about 1-2 years ago.

 37

do you think dlsau has prepared you well in your

current occupation?

Yes
No

100%

Figure 7. Do you think DLSAU has prepared you well in the current occupation?

Figure 7 demonstrates that all of the graduates agreed that De La Salle Araneta

University effectively prepared them for their current occupation. This indicates that the

institution achieved its primary goal of producing competent graduates with the

knowledge and skills necessary for the job market. Furthermore, they have exceeded the

graduates' expectations, which was to find work in their profession. It also implied that

this program's academic curriculum remains relevant to labor market demands.

 38

Table 5. Soft skills/Competencies learned in the university and useful in present job

Learned in the Useful in the

SOFT SKILLS University present job
F RANK F RANK
Communication skills 23 1st 25 1st
Analytical skills 19 4th 19 15th
Human Relation skills 20 2nd 25 1st
Commitment to work 20 2nd 23 4th
Problem-solving skills 19 4th 23 4th
Decision-making skills 19 4th 23 4th
Critical thinking skills 17 13th 21 13th
Creative Thinking skills 17 13th 23 4th
Supervisory skills 16 15th 22 11th
Self-directed learning 19 4th 23 4th
Teamwork 19 4th 22 11th
Work Ethics 18 12th 25 1st
Flexibility 19 4th 23 4th
Resource Management skills 19 4th 21 13th
Computer skills 19 4th 23 4th
TOTAL 283   341  

Findings illustrate those soft skills associated with communication skills, human

relations skills, and commitment to work are the top three competencies the graduates

have learned in college. This is in line with the findings of Alvarez (2020) that these three

soft skills are the most important elements to work with others. Meanwhile,

communication skills, human relations skills, and work ethics are perceived to be the

most useful competencies in their present job. It implies that the BSBA-NCP graduates

are well-versed in both oral and written communication, productive, and good at building

healthy working relationships. Importantly, the graduates are geared toward meeting and
 39

working on the company's current employability demands because the two most ranked

skills acquired in the university and skills significant to their present job are aligned.

Table 6. Hard Skills/Competencies learned in the university and useful in present job

Learned in the Useful in the

HARD SKILLS University Present Job
F RANK F RANK
Product proposal presentation 20 3rd 16 1st
Service/product presentation
skills 20 3rd 16 1st
Product innovation 19 7th 13 7th
SWOT Analysis 22 1st 15 4th
Sales report preparation 19 7th 16 1st
Marketing analysis 22 1st 15 4th
Marketing plan preparation 20 3rd 14 6th
Market segmentation 20 3rd 12 9th
Advertising skills 18 9th 12 9th
Event Management 17 10th 13 7th
TOTAL 197 142

According to the result, the majority of the 34 respondents claimed to have

learned all the hard skills presented in the questionnaire, which were patterned after the

CHED's prescribed curriculum. Five of which were sought to be the top rank hard skills

they have acquired from the university. These are SWOT analysis, Marketing Analysis,

Product Proposal Presentation, Service/Product Presentation skills, Marketing Plan

Preparation, and Market Segmentation. Whilst, Product Proposal presentation,

Service/product presentation, and Sales Report preparation were found to be the most

useful hard skills in their present job. It implies that most of the skills adopted are

unrelated, with only two of them relevant to their current employment. Furthermore, one
 40

of the important hard skills identified by the respondents, Sales Report Presentation, was

discovered to be one of the program's least mastered skills. It's safe to assume that the

institution concentrated on areas of marketing management that they saw as being

particularly important in the job market. However, because markets are competitive,

labor demands are constantly changing from time to time.

Table 7. Recommendation for the BSBA-NCP Program

Recommendation F RANK
None 11 1st
Instruction/Teaching style 2 6th
Availability of online materials 1 7th
New Courses for NCP 5 2nd
Curriculum 5 2nd
Schedule 5 2nd
Thesis System 3 5th
Facilities 1 7th
Online Discussion/Consultation 1 7th
Student organization 1 7th
Online communication 1 7th
Tuition fee deduction 1 7th

Findings denote that traced graduates find the program excellent, as 15 of them

stated that they no longer have any recommendations. With 5 responses, new courses for

NCP, Curriculum, and Schedule were ranked second, while Thesis System was ranked

third with 3 respondents.

 41

According to the respondents, DLSAU NCP Program should offer additional

courses so that new enrollees have options on which career path they desire to pursue.

Consequently, the university can keep up with its co-university, which also offers night

college programs. In terms of curriculum, they have proposed to focus on subjects or

areas necessary in this modern dynamic society. This recommendation from the

respondents is supported by the results taken from skills, specifically in hard skills,

because the competencies they learned in college are found to be insignificant in their

present job. This means that graduates perceive that some parts of the curriculum may not

be aligned or that some areas of the program did not highlight what is truly needed in the

industry. Moreover, because workplace demands change over time, the curriculum must

also be reviewed regularly to ensure that it satisfies the needs of the labor market. Aiming

to meet the labor market needs is found to be significant in the study of Ademeyo and

Sehoole (2015) because it will enable them to deliver relevant programs and excellent

quality of teaching.

In terms of schedule, respondents are suggesting a few adjustments and

considerations since most of them are working. They find it difficult to attend class on

time, particularly those who work far from the university. Moreover, submitting their

outputs is also hard for them because their internship and thesis, which are both time-

consuming subjects, are taken simultaneously. The thesis system is also found to be one

of the highest ranks that the students perceived that needs further improvement. Due to

the limited time they have, they are suggesting to make the thesis by group instead of
 42

pair. These findings support the study of Bocar (2013) who reported that most of their

respondents found writing research difficult, citing time management as one of the

reasons. Notably, prior to the recommendations, the data demonstrate that respondents

are extremely satisfied with the DLSAU's Night College Program and believe that they

are adequately prepared for their current occupation.

Table 8. Recommendation for DLSAU

Recommendation F RANK
None 15 1st
Enrollment procedure 2 4th
Facilities 7 2nd
Faculty 4 3rd
Digital innovation 1 8th
Events 2 4th
Reduction of tuition fee 2 4th
Transportation 1 8th
Uniform 1 8th
Scholarship 2 4th
Counseling 1 8th
Process Improvement 1 8th
Announcement/Updates 1 8th

Table 8 highlights the graduates' suggestions for the university. According to the

results, 15 respondents no longer have any recommendations. This signifies that the

majority of them are satisfied with DLSAU's services. Meanwhile, with 7 respondents,

facilities came up second as the area they believe needs improvement. The physical

environment of the school appeared to have a significant impact on student's academic

achievement. If the structure of the university is good, students will be able to focus and
 43

concentrate more on their studies, and teachers will face fewer distractions as well. This

means that the school administration must prioritize and focus on physical facilities.

While improving facilities has a financial cost, the benefits often outweigh the initial

financial costs. This is related to the study of Zainuddin & Subri (2017), which shows

that school facilities improve students' academic performance. The data show that the

availability of school facilities in good condition and modern equipment, such as Wi-Fi,

computers, laboratories, and libraries, can help spark students' interest and motivate them

to be more productive. Finally, faculty are discovered to be the third-highest rank that

requires improvement. They are suggesting that the university must hire educators that

are experts on the subject matter. This result is consistent with the data in table 6, which

reveals that the respondents' hard skills obtain from the university are mismatched from

today's job market demand. Moreover, the performance of the students is found to have a

significant relationship with teachers in terms of planning, teaching, and assessment

practices. Francisco & Celon (2020) Therefore, hiring and proper assessment of the

faculty's profession must be taken into the account.

 44

Conclusion

Based on the results of this study, most of the graduates are female from recent

years (2018-2020). It signifies that they are most likely to desire a higher position in their

careers compared to their male counterpart. Before enrolling in NCP, only one was traced

to be unemployed. Similarly, in present time, the majority are found to be employed and

are permanent in their job positions. Most upskilled themselves through promotion, and

some became business owners in comparison to their previous job. It can be concluded

that DLSAU made a massive contribution in helping them achieve their career

development and advancement. It also implies that they are highly employable as most of

them took only less than a year to acquire a job.

In terms of field-related abilities, the soft skills learned during their college were

proven to be essential to employability demands. While most of the hard skills they

adopted are determined to be irrelevant to their current employment. There is also a

specific skill, the Sales Report Presentation, which is useful but not well taught in the

university. Despite this, they were still able to find a job aligned with their profession.

To sum up, the researchers found out that DLSAU can produce competitive

graduates but needs improvement in terms of field-related skills. As the changing

demands of the labor market are constant, the curriculum must be in rhyme with these

fluctuations. Likewise, a substantial change in specific areas such as facility, faculty,

schedule, and other recommendation by the graduates must also be considered. Through

this, the BSBA-NCP program will be more effective than it already is.
 45

Recommendation

The researchers believe that recommendations from alumni could provide

additional value to the existing curriculum of the Night College Program (NCP).

Therefore, they developed a study and online survey questionnaire to adapt to the

changes in the standpoint of learning. A ranking-type survey questionnaire was used to

deliberate recommendations from the graduates of NCP in De La Salle Araneta

University. Hence, the questionnaire consists of two questions for curriculum and

University improvement, to correspond their opinion related to the program.

The study also shows that there is a fraction of graduates who suggest that the

university could offer additional courses, adjustment of the schedule since some students

are working in the corporate world, offer a more updated curriculum that equips the

students to meet the present needs of the society, teaching style, tuition fee deduction,

among others.

For program curriculum, while most of the respondents are already satisfied with

the prospectus and program of study of the NCP, and while the university is in

compliance with respective national curriculum requirements, necessary revisions should

be done periodically to meet changing industry and market needs.

Likewise, most of the respondents are contented with the physicality/amenities of

the University, while there is also a small fraction that suggests improving the facilities to

aid the rising demands of digital innovation and business community. Moreover, the

need for additional educators to have not only theoretical knowledge but also practical
 46

skills whose specialization is aligned to the course. Among other things, belongingness

to the events of the universities, tuition fee reduction, and scholarship grant should also

be considered.

The researcher’s recommendation is to maximize the total number of responses to

acquire a more reliable and relevant result, since the data gathered in the tracer is only

60%, to avoid biases. In addition, the committee suggests breaking down more detailed

questions while not sacrificing the anonymity of the respondents, so that the

recommendation will have a concrete basis. Lastly, the researchers suggest that the

administration of the University will consider the recommendations the tracer study has

discovered. So that NCP students could perform at full potential through the help of

various tool activities like seminars, function room development, training, and other

events related to their course.

 47

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 52

Appendices

Author’s Consent
 53

Research Instrument

Dear Graduate: Good day! Please complete this questionnaire as accurately and frankly as possible by

checking (✓) the box corresponding to your response. Your answer will be used for research purposes in

order to assess graduate employability and eventually, improve course offerings of your alma mater. Your

answers to this survey will be treated with strictest confidentiality.

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Name _____________________________________________________

2. Permanent Address _____________________________________________________

3. E-mail Address _____________________________________________________

4. Contact Number (s) CP No. : ________________Tel. No. : _____________________

5. Sex [ ] Male [ ] Female

6. Birthday /__/__/ /__/__/ /__/__/

Month Day Year

7. Year Graduated

[ ] 2018

[ ] 2019

[ ] 2020

8. What was your job before NCP? ____________________

B. EMPLOYMENT DATA
 54

1. Are you presently employed? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Never Employed

If NO or NEVER BEEN EMPLOYED, proceed to Question 2

If YES, proceed to Questions 2 to 9

Please state reason (s) why you are not yet employed. You may check ( ) more than one answer.

[ ] Advance or further study [ ] No job opportunity

[ ] Family concern and decided not to find a job [ ] Did not look for a job

[ ] Health-related reason (s) [ ] Review/preparation for Board /Licensure Exam

[ ] Lack of work experience [ ] Other reason(s), please specify

2. How many months/years after graduation were you able to get a job?

3. Present occupation

4. Present Employment Status

[ ] Regular or Permanent [ ]Contractual

[ ] Temporary [ ]Self-employed

[ ] Casual [ ]Others, please specify

5. Place of Work [ ] Philippines [ ] Abroad

6. Business Name and Address

7. How long have you stayed in your present job?

[ ] Less than one year [ ] 3 - 4 years

[ ] 1 – 2 years [ ] more than 4 years

8. Do you think DLSAU has prepared you well in your current occupation?

[ ] Yes [ ] No
 55

If NO, Why?

If YES, please check () the skills/competencies learned in college (2nd column) and the

skills/ competencies that are useful in your present job (3rd column)? You may check ()

more than one answer.

Competencies learned Usefulness in present

Soft Skills
in college job
Communication skills
Analytical Skills
Human Relation skills
Commitment to work
Problem-solving skills
Decision-making Skills
Critical Thinking skills
Creative Thinking Skills
Supervisory skills
Self-directed learning
Teamwork
Work Ethics
Flexibility
Resource Management Skills
Computer Skills
Other skills, please specify
1.
2.

Hard Skills
Financial report preparation
Financial analysis
Aging of receivables
SWOT analysis
Credit policies formulation
Counterfeit money detection
Cash management
 56

Technical analysis
Banking systems and processes
Economic analysis
Bond valuation
Stock valuation
Other skills, please specify 1.
2.

9. What three (3) things/areas do you recommend, if any, to further improve the

program/curriculum?

1.

2.

3.

10. What three (3) things/areas do you recommend, if any, to further improve the university?

1.

2.

3.

Thank you.