Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

Challenges in the Era of Globalization
Edited by Emmanuel Obuah
Trait emotional intelligence and employability skills: The case of Ugandan undergraduates
Abstract
Isaac Wasswa Katono, ikatono@ucu.ac.ug
Uganda Christian University Uganda.
Lack of employability skills among graduates is a major problem in many countries. This two phase paper
investigates the extent to which this problem can be explained by emotional intelligence (EI). In phase 1, employers
rate the extent to which business faculty students at UCU possess certain employability skills by gender. In phase 2,
students use the TEIQue instrument to provide self reports on their level of EI. Independent sample t tests confirm
that there are gender differences between students on their possession of employability skills and EI, while
hierarchical regression establishes that EI predicts employability.
Introduction
Many employers are not satisfied with the quality of graduates they receive. While the graduates may
possess the subject specific skills within a given discipline (technical skills), they lack those skills that are
deemed relevant across any job or profession (non technical skills) (Sherer & Eadie, 1987). Many studies
expound the limitations of using cognitive intelligence alone to predict life success (e.g. Melanie et.al,
2008), and posit that non cognitive factors may explain why, despite adequate intelligence, some
individuals have difficulty across multiple life domains (Van Rooy &Viswesvaran, 2004). Due to their
relevance in professional functioning, non technical skills are often referred to as employability skills
(Cassidy, 2006).
Employers are more interested in non technical skills such as honesty, conscientiousness, general ability,
adaptability and experience than qualifications; hence qualifications once considered to be a guarantee of
employment no longer seem to be the focus of many employers (Clarke, 2008 p.7). The lack of
employability skills among graduates exists in developed and developing countries and has persisted for
some time (Clarke, 1997). A study by Asiimwe et al. (2000) in Uganda found that graduates had no
practical skills, had low motivation, lacked dedication, were unable to solve problems, had narrow focus,
lacked cross cutting multi disciplinary and integrative knowledge, and hence were not employable.
Employability is the capability to move sufficiently within the labour market, and to realize potential
through sustainable employment (Hillage & Pollard, 1998 p.2). Employability is a construct that is linked
to many other variables and many studies have explored these linkages. Particularly Pool and Sewell
(2007) argue that no model of employability would be complete without inclusion of the emotional
intelligence (EI) construct. EI is the focus of the non cognitive abilities and originates from Thorndike
(1920), who coined the term “social intelligence” to refer to the ability to understand and manage people,
and to act wisely in human relations. EI is not a fixed parameter and can be taught or learned (Romanelli
et al., 2006) and includes skills like empathy, optimism and self awareness all of which enable people to
reflect, react to and understand various environmental situations.
It is the premise of this paper that the poor employability of some students is probably due to a low level
of emotional intelligence. Since most studies on graduate employability and employability skills have
been done in the West (Wickramasinghe & Perera, 2010), this paper seeks to establish whether there are
differences in the possession of non technical skills by gender among Ugandan undergraduates, identify
which of these skills employers are satisfied with, as well as examine the relationship between EI and
employability. The next section highlights the literature on both the theory of trait emotional intelligence
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