Bridging the Skills Gap: Examining the Electronics Technology Students’ Competence and Industry Demands

Abstract

Educational institutions often struggle to keep up with the emerging trends in the electronics industry, leading to a gap between what students learn in their programs and what is in demand in the job market. Beyond technical skills, electronics technology students also need to develop soft skills vital for success in any job but can sometimes be overlooked in traditional academic settings. Previous studies reported a skills gap between industry demands and students’ preparedness. Thus, this study determined the skills demanded by the electronics industry in Leyte, emphasizing both technical and soft skills; it also explored the acquired skills of the electronics technology students based on their experiences. This study employed mixed-method research, specifically the convergent parallel design, wherein quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously and analyzed separately. For the quantitative data collection, 21 online job postings were utilized in the web scrapping technique and were limited to Leyte province only. For the qualitative data collection, an interview was conducted with 14 purposively selected 4th-year Electronics Technology students. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative data, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Results revealed a skills gap among electronics students, influenced by the dearth of electronics-related industries and job openings in the province. Most employers require technical skills in troubleshooting and maintaining electronic systems. Being keen on details, being customer-oriented, and working well as a team are the necessary soft skills. The qualitative findings from the interview complement the quantitative results. The implication is clear for educational institutions that soft skills development should be emphasized in educational programs, preparing students technically and socially for the workplace.