A Gap Analysis Between the Academe and the Metalcasting Industry Requirements for Technical Education Graduates: A Basis for Intervention Measures

Abstract

Skills mismatch is the primary cause of unemployment in the Philippines. Many have graduated from different courses but end up not being hired due to this factor. The study aimed to examine the skills provided by the schools and those needed by the Metalcasting industry to bridge the gap between the academe and the industry requirements for technical and vocational graduates of State universities and colleges in Metro Manila and to propose intervention measures. The main respondents of the study are workers and management of selected metal casting companies or foundries located in the National Capital Region. Furthermore, the study involved three hundred twelve (312) workers and thirty-four (34) managers. The researcher employed Descriptive-survey Design. The main instrument in the study was the questionnaire. It was adapted and designed specifically to gather the perceptions of the employed graduates and manager of metal casting companies. For the Statistical treatment of data, percentage, weighted mean, ranking and z-test’s statistical were used to test the sign indicates whether or not the difference between two groups’ averages most likely reflects a “real” difference in the population from which the groups were sampled. The status of the metal castingindustry is there are one hundred eight metal castingcompanies nationwide wherein, twenty-seven metal castingcompanies are located in the National Capital Region. But there are only limited schools that offerFoundry Technology or metal castingtechnology. In this current age, Hard Skills but also Soft skills in the metal castingindustry are considered as highly required. Soft skills are evidentwhile the Hard skills are Least Evident for the graduates of Technical Vocational graduates. Therefore intervention measures are needed to bridge the gap. The Industry, Academe, government agencies and other NGOs need to take a role in the intervention measures. Academe and Industry requirement need to be in sync. A gap analysis on the academe and to the different industries' requirement should also be done in order to address the mismatch and solve the unemployability of our graduates.