Perceived Employability in Online IT Education

Abstract

In this paper, we use an online bachelor study program in IT as a case for research on Perceived Employability (PE). Collecting data from alumni through interviews and a survey we find an increase in students’ PE during their bachelor education. We also find a difference between students who had relevant work experience before their studies and those without such experience, the former having higher PE before their education. This gap decreases and is not significant after completion of the bachelor program, except for the aspect of Contact Network. We discuss the results in light of how PE can be used as a construct in the evaluation and development of the specific bachelor program of our study and other study programs. We suggest that PE can be used to measure some important aspects of a study program, but as part of an overall evaluation, it should be combined with questions about competence and satisfaction.