Social Science and Human Research Bulletin

This study examined the employability outcomes of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) graduates from 2021 to 2024, aiming to understand how curriculum competencies, institutional values, and employer expectations shape career trajectories. Using a mixed-methods design, the research combined a cross-sectional survey with thematic analysis of employer feedback. Data were collected from 1,192 graduates and 74 employers through online and offline questionnaires. 

Quantitative analysis included frequency counts, weighted means, and Spearman’s Rho to explore relationships between curriculum relevance, VMGO alignment, and job performance. Qualitative insights were drawn from open-ended employer comments, analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Results showed a high employment rate and strong internalization of VMGO, with employers rating graduates positively in terms of values and general competencies. However, weak correlations between curriculum and job performance indicated gaps in digital literacy, entrepreneurial skills, and program-level alignment. Thematic analysis revealed employer appreciation for graduate attitudes, alongside calls for technical upskilling, broader alumni recognition, and improved feedback mechanisms. The study highlights NORSU’s strengths in producing values-driven graduates while identifying areas for strategic reform. Its findings can inform curriculum audits, alumni engagement strategies, and digital tracer improvements— contributing to more responsive, inclusive, and competitive higher education in regional Philippine contexts. 

state university, graduate employability, mixed-methods research, mixed-methods design, Philippines

1. Amahan, P., Usita, M., Garcia, A., Escultor, M., & Alvarez, J. (2024). Tracer study of information  technology graduates from the San Jose Campus of Occidental Mindoro State College, Philippines from 2018 to 2022. Mindoro Journal of Social Sciences and Development Studies, 1(1), 10-15. https://journal.omsc.edu.ph/index.php/mjssds/article/view/7 
2. Cengage Group. (2025). Cengage Group’s 2025 employability report reveals a growing gap  between education and employment. https://www.cengagegroup.com/news/pressreleases/2025/cengage-group-2025-employability-report 
3. CEIC. (2025). Philippines unemployment: Grade completed: College: Graduate. https://www.ceicdata.com/en/philippines/labour-force-survey-unemployment-by-ageand-class/unemployment-grade-completed-college-graduate 
4. CHED. (2023). National tracer study of higher education graduates: 2022 report. Commission  on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/National-TracerStudy-2022.pdf 
5. Dela Cruz, J. L., & Dela Cruz, T. (2023). Employment and employability skills of graduate  school graduates in Tagudin Campus. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research. https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=19479 
6. EdCom II. (2025). Examining the effects of technical vocational education and training on  employment outcomes. https://edcom2.gov.ph/media/2025/07/20_GENERALAO-et-alExamining-the-Effects-of-TVET-on-Employment-Outcomes.pdf 
7. Economist Impact. (2023). Bridging the skills gap: Fuelling careers and the economy in the Philippines. https://impact.economist.com/new-globalisation/bridging-skills-gap-fuellingcareers-and-economy-philippines 
8. Everything at Work. (2025). Talent acquisition and retention in the Philippines. https://everythingatwork.com/talent-acquisition-and-retention-in-the-philippines-bestpractices-for-sustainable-workforce-growth 
9. GEURS. (2025). Global employability university rankings 2025. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/press-releases/global-employability-universityrankings-2025 
10. Gumba, B. G. (2022). Gender equality in education and student participation in a higher  education institution: A case in the Philippines. https://www.academia.edu/82219868/Gender_Equality_In_Education_And_Student_Part icipation_In_A_Higher_Education_Institution_A_Case_In_The_Philippines 
11. ICCEPH. (2024). Exploring student perceptions and acceptability of the Vision, Mission, Goals,  and Objectives in Philippine HEIs. https://icceph.com/wpcontent/uploads/2024/12/EXPLORING-STUDENT-PERCEPTIONS.pdf 
12. ILO. (2024). Global employment trends for youth 2024 – Asia and the Pacific. https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2024-8/Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific%20Brief%20GET%20Youth%202024.pdf
13. JobStreet Philippines. (2025). Top soft skills employers in the Philippines look for in 2025. https://ph.jobstreet.com/career-advice/article/top-soft-skills-employers-in-the-philippineslook-for-in-2025 
14. Limama, L. A. L., Lagura, G. B., Obeda, A. Z. B., & Riño, A. L. (2025). Awareness,  acceptability and relevance of Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives (VMGO) among Bachelor of Public Administration stakeholders at Davao del Norte State College. International Journal for Research in Multidisciplinary Fields. https://www.ijfmr.com/papers/2025/2/41155.pdf 
15. OneNewsPH. (2025). Rising number of unemployed graduates troubling. https://www.onenews.ph/articles/rising-number-of-unemployed-graduates-troubling 
16. PATHWAY Project. (2024). Competency gaps in Philippine graduates. https://www.pathway2employability.eu/sites/default/files/202409/PATHWAY_Graduates%20Employability%20report_pub.pdf 
17. Perez, D., Velicaria, A., Berja, M. C. V. R., & Palmiano, D. A. (2025). Pathways and roadblocks  in gender and development: A systematic review of institutional practices in higher education. International Journal for Research in Multidisciplinary Fields. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394518136 
18. Philippine News Agency. (2024). Challenges to improving Filipino graduates’ employability. https://www.pna.gov.ph/opinion/pieces/905-challenges-to-improving-filipino-graduatesemployability 
19. PIDS. (2023). Youth employment and skills mismatch in post-COVID Philippines. Philippine  Institute for Development Studies. https://www.pids.gov.ph/publication/discussionpapers/youth-employment-and-skills-mismatch-in-post-covid-philippines 
20. Reyes, J. M., et al. (2025). Tracer study of Laguna University graduates. International Journal of  Education and Teaching Studies. https://ijets.org/index.php/IJETS/article/view/338 
21. Saquin, M. I. (2023). Curriculum relevance on graduate career: A tracer study of the graduates of  Cavite State University–Tanza Campus. International Journal of Research in Education, Humanities and Commerce, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.37602/IJREHC.2023.4407 
22. Sanchez, J. M. (2025). Awareness, dissemination, and acceptability of VMGO in an education  graduate school of a state university in Central Visayas, Philippines. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380969925 
23. Statista. (2025). Employment in the Philippines – statistics & facts. https://www.statista.com/topics/10073/employment-in-the-philippines 
24. Tayco, R. O., Supat, R. A., & Estrope, R. M. (2022). Employability of state university graduates  in the Philippines: A tracer study of Negros Oriental State University. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 10(2), 63–70. https://research.lpubatangas.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/8-APJMSD.10.2Tayco.pdf 
25. UNESCO. (2023). Guidelines for graduate tracer studies in higher education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000384521