Sulu State College, School of Agriculture Tracer Study of Graduates 2018- 2020

Sulu State College, School of Agriculture Tracer Study of Graduates 2018- 2020

Sitti Kauzar S. Ayub¹, Nenita T. Abdurajak²

^1,2Sulu State College, Sulu, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90300100

Received: 02 February 2025; Accepted: 15 February 2025; Published: 02 April 2025

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine the employability of the graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) and Bachelor of Agricultural Technology (BAT) programs. The study further aimed to gather inputs about the BSA and BAT program that could be used to improve its quality education.

The respondents were BSA and BAT graduates from 2018- 2020. Data collected were subjected to basic statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, proportions and means.

Findings of the study indicate that 27.59% of the respondents under BSA program in 2018, 28.57% in 2019 while 0% in 2020 are all employed.  Further, 80.00% under BAT are employed in 2018, 18.18% in 2019 and 58.33% in 2020. However, 72.41% from BSA and 20% from BAT program are unemployed in 2018. In 2019, it came out that the 71.43% from BSA and 81.82% from BAT program respondents are unemployed in 2019. Moreover, in 2020 three (3) BAT graduates are unemployed. While 41.67% in BAT graduates are unemployed in the year 2020. These are due to lack of applications and exposures as the main weakness. Also, some of our graduated students already have work, but they were relieved from their current work due to change of government which is the BARMM now. Consistently, the primary recommendations were to have more exposures and applications of the respondents. Furthermore, this finding was able to collect data from the graduate’s using questioners and thru online survey via messenger and face book page.

Keywords:  Employability, Tracer Study, Graduates

INTRODUCTION

The Sulu State College, School of Agriculture established last 1991 at the Main Campus, Capitol Site, Jolo, Sulu. In 1999, the new building was transferred to Gandasuli, Patikul, Sulu SSC, School of Agriculture also an institution accredited by TESDA that offers Technical and Vocational Education and Training Programs (TVET). School of Agriculture is one of the departments of Sulu State College because Agriculture course is more on laboratory compose of 14 hectares approximately that suits for the students to perform their laboratory exercises.

This study aims to follow up the performance of SSC, School of Agriculture graduates as basis for curriculum enhancement. Specifically, it sought to present profile of the graduates in terms of demographic and employability of the students graduated in the A. Y 2018-2020. It also aimed at exploring the perception of the graduates towards competencies developed by SSC, Agriculture graduates, values that are developed in their alma mater and the skills that should be further developed.

The study only includes graduates of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) and Bachelor of Agricultural Technology (BAT) program from school year 2018 -2020. The results of this study are beneficial to the following recipients:

Administrator – The result of this study may provide guidance to school administrators with the end view of coming up with evidence-based recommendations to be undertaken to improve the employability and eventually, improve the program of studies.

Faculty – The findings of the study guide the teachers to plan activities and to stay up to date and improved on its shortcomings in order to meet the demands in the field and consequently assisting in its long term sustainability.

Students – The result of the investigation serve as eye opener to the students taking the course to triple their effort in preparation for future employment and to be qualified to practice their profession.

Alumni Officer – It help the office of the alumni to keep in touch with and foster relationships and partnership with its former graduates.

Future Researcher – This study help to other researcher undergoing tracer study. They may be guided on what other variables to consider examining the changes in the career pattern of the graduates in order to provide a basis of evaluation the current program. It contribute to the curriculum enhancement.

METHODOLOGY

The study employed descriptive research design since its purpose is to obtained presents facts regarding graduate’s demographics and investigate their perceptions regarding competencies and values developed in them by the school and the skills that should be further be developed by SSC, School of Agriculture. Its main respondents are the BSA and BAT program under SSC, School of Agriculture courses from school year 2018 – 2020.

The researchers’ way in gathering data is through conducting survey questionnaires by interviewing the respondents/graduates in SSC, School of Agriculture from 2018-2020. And also thru online survey via messenger and face book page purposely to consolidate who were employed in other places or in abroad.

The instrument to gather data for this study is consist of three sections. The first section contains general information of BSA and BAT graduates which included: (a) year graduated, (b) permanent address, (c) contact numbers, email address. The second section described the graduate’s employment data which included: (a) present employment status, (b) current job, (c) previous job, (d) type of specific area of work, (e) type of institution employed, (f) years of working experience, (g) current gross income salary, (h) length of time to get the first job, and (i) ways of acquiring the job. The third section of the questionnaire contained the evaluation of training received by the graduates which included: (a) values develop and practice in work, (b) skills acquired in the college. To facilitate the distribution of questionnaire, the researchers personally distributed or contacted using the cellphone or via messenger and face book page. The on line questionnaire are assumed to be answered honestly and truthfully by the graduates despite their hectic schedule so that the validity and reliability of the study can be assured through online data collection.

The gather information was serve as our guidelines throughout the study. After that, the data gathered were tallied, analyzed, and interpreted by using weighed mean statistical tools.

The respondents were BSA and BAT graduates from 2018- 2020. Data collected were subjected to basic statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, proportions and means.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

This study discusses the results of the tracer study of SSC School of Agriculture who graduated from 2018 to 2020. The main objective of this tracer study is to examine the changes in the career pattern of the graduates in order to provide a basis of evaluation of the Agriculture Department of Sulu State College.

On the other hand, tracer study is that it aids to examine the changes in the career pattern of the graduates in order to provide a basis of evaluation of the current programs and it provides a continuation of the process of evaluation of the performance of the College. (Holtkamp and Teichler, 1983)

There were 29 graduates in 2018 under BSA program while 5 graduates under BAT program, 7 graduates in 2019 under BSA program while 11 graduates under BAT program of same year, 3 graduates in 2020 under BSA program while 12 graduates under BAT program. With a total of 39 graduates under BSA program and 28 graduates under BAT program, a grand total of 67 graduates from 2018-2020 at SSC School of Agriculture (Registrar’s Office Data).  Of these, 67 graduates from 2018 – 2020 (BSA and BAT) were targeted as respondents and only 31 graduates positively responded and were taken as respondents in this study.

Respondent’s demographic profile is presented in Table 1-4.

Table 1 Civil Status of the Respondents (2018-2020)

As shown, majority of the respondents is still single.

Table 2 Gender of the Respondents (BAT & BSA)

As presented, the majority of the respondents are female graduates.

Program of specialization of the respondents is presented in Table 3.

Table 3 Agriculture Courses of the Respondents

Table 3 shows the most of the respondents are Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. However, the highest percentage in terms of employability is Bachelor of Agricultural Technology.

Respondents year of graduation is presented in Table 4.

Table 4 Year of Graduation of the Respondents

Table 4 shows that the respondents who responded to the study are the graduates from 2018-2020. Students graduated in 2018 with a frequency of 12 students and 34.29% both BSA and BAT, in 2019 graduates a frequency of 4 with 21.01% both BSA and BAT program while in 2020 has 7 frequency and got 46.67%.

Table 5. (RECAP) Number of BSA and BAT Graduates per year from 2018-2020 and Actual No. of Respondents responded to this study.

Table 6. Employability of Profile of Graduates

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based from the result of the study, the respondents who are mostly single, dominantly female, who are most from BSA and graduates in 2018. From the information gathered, these graduates were employable as they got their first job within one year after graduation. There is a need for both courses BSA and BAT to review and revise their curricula, extend more efforts in developing skills relative to the programs offered. There is also a need to improve foundation programs for graduates to highly develop the necessary values consistent to the graduate attribute dreamed by the college.

It is therefore recommended the following:

1. Improve formation program of the SSC, School of Agriculture;
2. Improve the BSA and BAT graduate’s linkages with GOs/NGOs and industries; and
3. More exposures, applications and more extra-curricular activities.

 REFERENCES

1. Schomburg, H. (2003) Handbook for Graduate Tracer Studies: Centre for Research on Higher Education and Work, University of Kassel, Germany.
2. Kardi, N, et al. (2009). Enhancing Employability Initiatives: Malaysia Experience Retrieved: March 24, 2014, from http://www.kln.ac.lk/uokr/ASAIHL/Malaysia.pdf
3. http://www.academia.edu
4. Palmata journal official publication of Sulu State College Research Center