CONTENTS 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 3 ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Special Benefits of the Study……………………………………………………………….8

The survey objectives ................................................................................................................................. 9

The target population ................................................................................................................................ 9

Timing of the study ................................................................................................................................... 10

The Questionnaire ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Response rate ............................................................................................................................................. 11

Profile of the respondents ...................................................................................................................... 11 2. KEY FINDINGS: EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES ........................................................................................ 14

MAIN ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................................. 14

2.1 FIRST OUTCOME: QUALIFICATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES .............................. 15

TIME PERIOD FOR GRADUATES TO FIND EMPLOYMENT .................................................. ….17

INCOME EARNED ................................................................................................................................. 19

JOB SKILLS MATCH ............................................................................................................................... 20

2.2 SECOND OUTCOME: GRADUATE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION &TRAINING RECEIVED 23

WORK EXPERIENCE DURING STUDY ............................................................................................... 24

2.3 THIRD OUTCOME: GRADUATE FEEDBACK ON SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE .............................. 25 3. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 27

DISCUSSION OF KEY FINDINGS ......................................................................................................... 27

LIMITATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 29 4. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 29

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) is very grateful for the financial assistance by the

Government of Samoa and Development Partners provided through the Education Budget Support, which enabled the conduct of this study.

The SQA would also like to acknowledge the following that have made this study possible:

• All formal PSET providers that submitted graduates information to assist SQA;

• Fieldwork Assistants recruited by SQA to work together with the Research, Policy & Planning Division (RPPD) in carrying out the fieldwork/interviews;

• All 2012, 2013 and 2014 graduates from formal Post School Education and Training (PSET) providers that took time out from work and busy schedules to participate in the study; and

• All businesses, companies, government ministries and corporations, churches and communities in Savaii and Upolu, for their support in allowing fieldwork assistants and RPPD staff to conduct interviews with graduates.

The SQA wishes to thank you all for your valuable contributions from the beginning of the study to the completion of this report.

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ACRONYMS APTC Australia-Pacific Technical College AHCBC Apia Harvest Centre Bible College

DBTC Don Bosco Technical Centre

ECETTI Early Childhood Education Teachers Training Institute

HBC Harvest Bible College

IFTI Ierusalema Fou Theological Institute

ILO International Labour Organization

IOT Institute of Technology

ISCO International Standard Classification of Occupations

LFSFA Leulumoega Fou School of Fine Arts

LoP-MTCC Laumua o Punaoa – Methodist Technical & Creative Centre

MCIL Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour

MESC Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture

MFAT Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

MOH Ministry of Health MoTC Moamoa Theological College

NHS National Health Services

NUS National University of Samoa

OUM Oceania University of Medicine

PSET Post School Education and Training

PTC Piula Theological College

RHEMA RHEMA Bible Training Centre – South Pacific

SAT$ Samoan Tala

SPNTC South Pacific Nazarene Theological College

SQA Samoa Qualifications Authority

SSC Samoa Shipping Corporation

SSMA Samoa Shipping Maritime Academy

SSS Samoa Shipping Services

TIAS Tesese Institute of Administrative Studies TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training

USP University of the South Pacific UTVC Uesiliana Technical and Vocational Centre

VFTC Vailima Fou Theological College WMTC Worldwide Mission Training Centre

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A tracer study of 2012, 2013 and 2014 graduates from formal Post School Education and

Training (PSET) providers in Samoa was conducted from November 2015 to May 2016. It

achieved a 68.3 percent response rate of 4,695 graduates who were targeted. There were

171 qualifications but only 148 were covered from 20 formal PSET providers. Few responses,

however, were received from those working overseas, but mostly this paper reports on the

graduates residing in Samoa.

The study objectives were to find out; how graduates are faring in the labour market;

graduates views on the relevance of the education and training they received in light of their

work experiences; and to identify what factors could help explain why some graduates had

not found work. Key findings of the study are summarized below:

Employment and related outcomes Of the 3,207 respondents, just over half of them (59%) were engaged in paid activities. The largest group (56%) involved in paid activities, were found to be working for an employer for pay. Of the total 1,306 unemployed graduates, majority (24%) were pursuing further studies. Females were more likely to be working for employers for pay, and more likely to be doing further studies compared to males. However, males were more likely to be self-employed.

The number of Certificate holders is 2,084, Bachelor degree holders is 522, and Diploma

holders is 517. There are 64 holders of Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas, and only 20

holders of Masters Degrees. Only 39.7 percent of Certificate holders are working for

employers for pay. Considering the number of respondents for each qualification type, the

best employment outcome is that of the Bachelor degree holders, with 94.3 percent of them

working for employers. This is followed by 78.9 percent for the Diploma holders.

The respondents working for employers for pay took an average of 2.8 months to find their jobs.

Of the 1,799 respondents working for an employer for pay, 88.3 percent found their jobs within 6

months after graduation (1,588 graduates). This is 49.5 percent of total respondents. One

hundred and fifty six (156) graduates had paid jobs before or during their studies, which means

that 1,643 or 91% of graduates working for employer for pay are in new paid jobs.

The higher the qualification, the higher the average weekly income. Master degree holders

earn SAT$1,584.70 a week, while Certificate holders earn only SAT$293.84 a week. Males

earn higher average mean weekly income compared to females for respondents with Master

degrees, Bachelor degrees, and Certificates. Females on the other hand earn higher average

mean weekly income for those with Postgraduate diplomas or certificates, and those with

Diplomas.

The job-skills match assessment identifies that 75.2 percent of respondents working with

employers have jobs that match their skills and qualifications. A closer look at the

respondents’ jobs, in particular those from formal PSET providers of Technical and Vocational

Education and Training (TVET) and academic studies show 3 outcomes: a close match

between qualification and the job (Maritime Certificate and a job as seafarer), use of generic

set of skill (Tourism certificate in Tour-guiding and a job as waitress); and where there is no

match (basic trade certificate and a job as police constable).

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Graduates assessment of their education and training The respondents rated many aspects of their training highly positive. This applies particularly to the following statements:

- Teachers allowed me to ask questions

- Teachers had good knowledge of their subject

- Teachers treated me with respect - Teachers taught me well

- The way I was assessed was a fair test of my skills

- The components of the programme were satisfactory

- Teachers helped me to solve problems

- Overall I am happy with the way the programme was done

The lowest ratings were made to the statement: ‘my teacher or institute helped me to find work’, and lower ratings were made for the following statements:

- Access to textbooks or support materials was good

- Access to equipment or tools was good

- Work experience was an important part of the programme

- My teacher or institute arranged for me to get work experience.

Graduates rated an overall average of 4.1 out of 5 that the skills & knowledge learned were very “useful”. A similar overall average rating of 4.2 out of 5 rated that the knowledge and skills they had learned are “relevant”.

Most of the respondents indicated that ‘technical skills’ in their study areas were being used

in their jobs, however, a number of generic skills were also identified. In order of importance,

these generic kills include communication, customer service, computing, time management,

and problem solving. More than 50 percent of respondents did not indicate any skills they

had not learned enough, but those who did, technical skills are by far the largest category.

For generic skills, computing skills was most notably mentioned in responses, followed by

communications and customer service. Work experience had an impact on a graduate’s

chances of getting a job. Of all the respondents, 44.2 percent of them received work

experience during their studies – many of whom are working with employers. These

respondents assessed the relevance of the work experience, and 56 percent of them rated it

as “very relevant” and 40 percent as “relevant”.

Graduate suggestions Graduates offered suggestions for improving their programme of study and the formal PSET

providers. Although they had rated most aspects of their studies highly positive as explained

above, their suggestions refer to the improvement of these same aspects. These are

summarized below in order of importance (most notably mentioned to the least): - Provide sufficient & updated learning resources - Ensure adequate, qualified, & committed teachers

- Improve timing & content of courses/programme

- Upgrade facilities

- Reduce tuition fees & other costs

- Provide work experience during the programme - Provide scholarship funding

- Provider and staff to help graduates find work

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Recommendations This report concludes with a discussion of findings and the lessons drawn from the analysis of the results. Eight recommendations are put forward on the basis of these findings. They are shown below:

1) It is recommended that the SQA works closely with the PSET providers offering

qualifications with low employment outcomes to show cause as to whether offering

these qualifications are justified at all or on a smaller or less frequent scale as they are

being offered at present.

2) Providers offering qualifications with a specific sector focus need to provide evidence to

employers that these qualifications are also providing generic competencies that can be

applied in other work settings as well. It is recommended that the SQA ensure that key

competencies related to employability are incorporated into the competency profile of

sector specific qualifications.

3) PSET providers can improve the employment outcomes of their graduates by ensuring

that they have relevant work experience with employers (specifically for programmes

that must have practical components). It is recommended that SQA develop and promote

a good practice guide to PSET providers and to the public about the benefits of work

placements.

4) SQA to continuously work with PSET providers using tracer study findings to improve the quality and relevancy of their programmes delivered to ensure parents are getting value for their money and graduates graduated with recognised qualifications. .

5) It is recommended that tracer study findings are included in the Career Advisory Services

activities such as the school visits and National Career Day events particularly on

information related to employment outcomes of specific qualifications, relevancy of

qualifications/skills/knowledge to employment and the wages earned by graduates in

specific occupations.

6) It is recommended that the SQA include a request for other related information and that

a template of key questions be developed and circulated to all providers.

7) It is recommended that PSET providers provide accurate and complete graduates’

information to the SQA through its PSET Annual Survey. They are also encouraged to

conduct their own graduate studies for each qualification offered within six to nine

months after graduation as well as promote the use of a simple, low cost methodology,

as outlined in the SQA tracer study training manual. In addition, providers conducting

tracer studies to submit report to SQA to assist in the conduct on the national tracer

study every three years.

8) The SQA continues to conduct a national tracer study every three years to cross check the information that providers are reporting on an annual basis and to carry out more complex analysis of the labour market outcomes.

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1. INTRODUCTION This report presents the findings of the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) Tracer Study of 2012, 2013, and 2014 Graduates from formal PSET providers in Samoa. This is a national study of graduates done by the SQA on a triennial basis; the first of its kind was conducted in

20131.

Graduate tracer studies or graduate destination surveys, are a key source of evidence about

the effectiveness of PSET. The SQA, in particular, has its mandate to improve the quality of

the education and training provided by accredited PSET providers. Accreditation procedures

are moving to a greater emphasis on the outcomes that graduates achieved. The SQA also

works to ensure that the PSET system meets agreed quality standards.

A national tracer study is needed to cross check the annual information PSET providers

should be collecting on graduate outcomes. This is an opportunity to conduct a more

comprehensive analysis of their labour market outcomes. This is done by collecting

information about how graduates have fared in the local and international labour markets

over a period of time. Tracer studies for the PSET providers are an important source of

feedback about the value of the qualifications they offer. It gives good feedback to PSET

providers on the graduates’ assessments of the relevance in their new job on the education

and training they have received.

It is important in the future, for PSET providers to show each year that they have information

about employment outcomes of graduates and their assessment of the relevance of the

education and training they have received. They will also need to show they are using this

information for continuous improvement through program reviews.

Governments, communities, parents and graduates want to know whether their investment

is producing the returns they are expecting. For the users of the PSET system such as

prospective students, parents and career counsellors, tracer studies at the national level are

an invaluable source of reliable information on the job prospects and pay rates of recent

graduates with specific qualifications. Tracer studies also help prospective students to make

an informed choice about which PSET providers offering similar qualifications produce better

employment outcomes.

Special Benefits of the Study

This study offers information not available from any other data source2. It provides

information with enough detail on the employment outcomes of PSET graduates to give a good picture of what is happening to them in the labour market.

Another significant aspect of the study is the assessment of the match between graduates’ job and the field of study of their qualifications. It also seeks feedback from the graduates on

1PSET Tracer Survey of 2009, 2010, and 2011 TVET Graduates, report published in 2014. 2Samoa Bureau of Statistics – Population & Housing Census, and the Ministry of Commerce Industry & Labor – Labor Market Surveys

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the relevance and quality of the education and training they received in light of the skills they need in the workplace.

As a special purpose study, it is important to carry it out at the point of service delivery (or by

the providers) and at the national level (like this study). As the introduction noted, these

studies are a good practice for all formal PSET providers so that they continue to improve

with the evidence from their graduates and the employers. Providers need to show what

their graduates have achieved.

The Government, in boosting economic growth as a whole or in specific sectors, needs to

know how well the supply of skills from PSET is meeting the demand from the sectors. This

helps the Government to justify their continued investment in PSET. The employers also

want up-to-date information on the employment rates of graduates with skills relevant to

their business, and average weekly income they earn for those qualifications. They also want

to know which providers have good employment outcomes to decide on which providers to

work with on work placements for students during their studies.

Potential students, current students, their parents and career counsellors want to know what

set of skills offer good career prospects in terms of pay levels and opportunities for further

skills acquisition and advancement. This information will help them to choose which field of

study to invest their time and money to acquire.

The study objectives

The three main objectives of the study were: • to identify the employment status of formal PSET graduates of 2012, 2013, and 2014;

• to assess whether education and training is relevant to the skill needs and requirements of

employment; and • to determine factors of why some graduates are not finding employment.

The target population A list of 4,695 graduates was compiled from the information submitted by 20 formal PSET

providers to SQA through the PSET Annual Survey in 20153. This number consisted of all

graduates that completed studies in the calendar years 2012, 2013, and 2014. The total number of qualifications listed was 171.

The SQA targeted all the listed graduates to meet the study’s objectives, and also to gather

enough information to meet the Education Sector key indicator – the percentage of PSET

graduates finding employment within 6 months. With this target, the SQA focused on

achieving a 70 percent response rate.

During the first national study in 2013, the SQA only targeted graduates with TVET

qualifications, from just 8 formal PSET providers. Graduates from the Australian-Pacific

Technical College (APTC) were excluded in the 2013 study and in this one, as they are being

surveyed independently by the APTC.

3The PSET Annual Survey collects information from Formal and Non Formal PSET providers to produce the PSET Statistical Bulletin.

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Timing of the Study Under the supervision of the Assistant CEO RPPD, the Principal Research and Policy Officer (PRPO) coordinated the study with the assistance of the RPPD staff. The study was conducted

in 2 phases. First was the get-together which was held on 25th and 26th November 2015.

Second was the study fieldwork (56 days) in Upolu and Savaii to track, locate, and carry out personal interviews during the following dates:

- Upolu fieldwork (08th to 27th February, & 07th March to 02nd April 2016)

- Savaii fieldwork (18th to 22nd April 2016) - Upolu follow-up fieldwork (25th April to 06th May 2016)

SQA staff from other divisions assisted the RPPD in carrying out personal interviews during

the 2-days graduates’ get-together. For the 56 days fieldwork, 23 fieldworkers were hired to

assist the RPPD. All fieldworkers worked with the RPPD during the Upolu fieldwork, while

only 10 were selected to complete the Savaii and the Upolu follow-up fieldworks. Their

selection was based on good performance during the Upolu fieldwork.

Prior to the fieldwork, a 5-days training workshop was conducted for the fieldworkers from

01st to 05th February 2016. This intensive training workshop covered relevant topics on

tracer study data collection as well as practical activities on how to facilitate interviews using

the questionnaire. All the fieldworkers, at the completion of their employment with the SQA,

were awarded with Certificates of Completion to recognize their participation.

The Questionnaire The questionnaire was developed, in collaboration with the RPPD, by an international

consultant in 2013, Dr Richard Curtain (Curtain Consultants) based on studies he had

conducted in other Pacific island countries. The RPPD revised and piloted the questionnaire

in October 2015 before the study began in November of the same year.

Its design focuses on3 sets of outcomes related to the study objectives. These outcomes were designed to explain the differences between graduates in employment and those unable to find paid work.

The first set focuses on the employment outcomes of graduate qualifications (whether in

paid employment, type of employment, wage or income, and the job/skills match). The

second focuses on graduates’ own assessment of different aspects of the education and

training they received.

The third focuses on graduates’ skills and knowledge gained and not gained. Graduates were

invited to offer in their own words what skills and knowledge they received and had not

received based on their current activities. This last outcome also focuses on graduates’ own

assessment of the usefulness and relevance of skills and knowledge received. It also focuses

on obtaining graduates ‘suggestions for improving the PSET providers and their programmes.

Printed questionnaires were used during the study, and an e-copy was made available on email and on the SQA website. A link to the SQA website was also made available on the Facebook page created for the study.

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The accuracy of data collected was monitored through quality checks by the RPPD staff of all

completed questionnaires after each personal interview. At the end of data collection, the

completed questionnaires were coded and data was entered into a Microsoft Excel sheet.

This recorded information was validated and analysed to produce the findings in this report.

Response rate The overall response rate is 68.3 percent. Table 1 shows that from the 4,695 listed graduates,

a total of 3,207 were located and interviewed. For all of the 3 graduation years, proportions

are above 30 percent as shown in Table 1. The highest response rate (70%) is recorded for

2014.

Table 1: Graduate-respondents compared to those listed by Graduation Year, in number & percentage

Response rates by formal PSET provider shows considerable variations. In terms of gender

proportions, there are 1,668 females (52 percent) and 1,539 males (48percent). Table 2

shows that of all the female graduates listed, 72.2 percent of them responded. For male

graduates that were listed, 64.5 percent of them responded.

Table 2: Respondents’ Gender Comparison, by number listed & response rate

Profile of the respondents The geographical distribution of respondents by region in Samoa (including those residing overseas is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Geographical distribution of Respondents, by region & percentage

Over a third of the respondents (39 percent) reside in the Apia Urban Area (AUA). The second largest proportion (30.2 percent) came from North West Upolu (NWU) region. Only 17.2 percent come from the Rest of Upolu (ROU) region and 12.8 percent live in Savaii.

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Figure 2 shows that majority of the graduates (88.5%) completed Year 13 compared to other level.

Figure 2: Proportion of Respondents by level of Secondary Education completed The respondents are from 20 formal PSET providers of which 9 are missions and theological providers accounting for a lower number of graduates of 147 or just 4.6 percent. This means

a 95.4 percent of the graduates surveyed are from TVET and Higher Education studies.

Figure 3: Distribution of Respondents by formal PSET providers, percentage

Graduates from the National University of Samoa (NUS) make up the largest proportion of

respondents as shown in Figure 3. Similar proportions are shown for Don Bosco Technical

Centre (DBTC) (5.7 percent) and the University of the South Pacific (USP) (5.6 percent). The

USP graduates targeted in this study were only those that undertook studies at the Alafua

campus and local graduates who studied in other campuses.

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There are 148 qualifications covered in the study, which range from Certificates to Master

degrees. The duration of respondents’ studies is within the range of 1 to 10 years, with an

overall average of 1.8 years. The majority of respondents (96.8 percent) completed

programmes within 1 to 4 years. The remaining proportion took longer to complete as they

had untaken studies on a part-time basis; 5 to 10 years.

Table 3: Distribution of Respondents by Type of Qualification, in number &percentage

Table 3 shows the distribution of respondents’ by qualification type. The Certificate holders make up the largest proportion of respondents, 65 percent. Similar proportions are recorded for both Bachelor degree holders (16.3 percent) and Diploma holders (16.1 percent).

Figure 4: Distribution of Qualifications held by Males & Females, percentage

There are considerable variations between female and male respondents in terms of the type of qualifications they have completed. It is noted in Figure 4 that females tend to pursue high qualifications compared to males.

Males dominate Certificate holders and the reason is because of higher percentage (76) of certificate programs are TVET related and could be more associated with men.

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2. KEY FINDINGS: EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES MAIN ACTIVITIES The study found out that 59 percent of the graduates are employed and 41 percent are

unemployed. These are further sub divided into categories according to Table 4. A large

proportion of employed graduates actually ‘work for employers for pay’ where as rest are

engage in other paid activities (self-employed). Moreover, for unemployment graduates,

24.4 percent are ‘pursuing further studies’ while the rest occupied themselves with other

unpaid activities. Table 4: Main Activities of Respondents, percentage

A comparison of main activities by gender is presented in Figure 5. Females are more likely to

be working for pay for an employer (52.1 percent) and doing further studies (58.1 percent)

compared to males. Males are more likely to be self-employed whereas females are more

likely to be actively looking for a job and less likely to be doing other unpaid work compared

to males. Figure 5: Main Activities of Respondents by Gender, percentage

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Table 5: Main Activities of Respondents by Formal PSET Providers

EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED

PROVIDER RESPONDENTS Work for Church Self Engage in

Pursuing further Employed Unpaid

Employer (%) Pastors/Ministers (%) Studies (%) (%) Activities (%)

AHCBC 21 38.1 4.8 28.6 19.0 9.5

DBTC 182 42.3 0.0 3.3 32.4 22.0

ECETTI 102 52.0 0.0 0.0 40.2 7.8

HBC 13 23.1 38.5 0.0 23.1 15.4

IFTI 12 25.0 0.0 25.0 50.0 0.0

LFSFA 28 35.7 0.0 10.7 21.4 32.1

LoP-MTCC 127 49.6 0.0 3.9 44.9 1.6

MCIL Apprenticeship 67 83.6 0.0 11.9 4.5 0.0

MoTC 14 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

NUS 2187 54.8 0.1 0.7 12.2 32.2

OUM 2 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

PTC 18 83.3 11.1 0.0 0.0 5.6

RHEMA 18 72.2 16.7 5.6 5.6 0.0

SPNTC 6 0.0 33.3 0.0 50.0 16.7

SSMA 42 92.9 0.0 2.4 4.8 0.0

TIAS 97 72.2 0.0 3.1 23.7 1.0

USP 179 86.6 0.0 7.8 2.2 3.4

UTVC 47 40.4 0.0 2.1 53.2 4.3

VFTC 8 62.5 0.0 12.5 25.0 0.0

WMTC 37 24.3 5.4 10.8 45.9 13.5

TOTAL 3207 - - - - -

Table 5 shows high proportions of graduates from OUM, SSMA, USP, MCIL Apprenticeship and PTC that are working for employers for pay. High proportions of graduates engage in unpaid activities are shown for providers such as UTVC, SPNTC, & IFTI.

2.1 FIRST OUTCOME: GRADUATES ‘WORKING FOR EMPLOYERS FOR PAY’ & QUALIFICATIONS Table 6 shows the different types of qualifications attained by each respondent. It is noted that the highest numbers of the graduates hold certificates. This is due to the fact that the most available qualification in Samoa is a certificate.

Table 6: Respondents working for Employer for pay by qualification type, in number & percentage

This shows that although Certificate holders dominate the number of respondents; only 39.7 percent of them work for employers. Good proportions are shown for Bachelor Degree (94.3 percent) and Diploma (78.9 percent) holders.

As many as 56 percent of Certificate holders that work for employers are NUS graduates. More than half of them (54.4 percent) are Foundation Certificate graduates. The NUS

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graduates also dominate Diploma holders (78.9 percent) and Bachelor Degree holders (96.8

percent) for those working for an employer for pay. As many as 59.1 percent of the NUS

Diploma holders are Diploma in Education graduates, while 37.2 percent of NUS Bachelor

degree holders are Bachelor of Commerce graduates.

Figure 6 shows that overall; females dominate males in proportions working for employers on paid jobs from Diploma to Masters Graduates. The picture is reverse for those holding

Certificates

Figure 6: Gender proportions of Respondents by Qualification type, percent of total of each gender group.

The respondents working for an employer for pay were invited to comment on how they felt

about their jobs. Three notable proportions are shown in Figure 7. The data indicates good

job satisfaction amongst the respondents. It is also worth noting the 20 percent who claimed

their jobs provided the opportunities to improve their skills.

Figure 7: Respondents Working for an Employer for pay, responses to the Question "How do you feel about your job?” percentage

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TIME PERIOD FOR GRADUATES TO FIND EMPLOYMENT The respondents working for an employer for pay took an average of 2.8 months to find their

jobs after graduation with females taking less time to find jobs compared to males. Figure 8

shows that more females were able to find work with employer within six months after

graduation compared to males.

Figure 8: Gender Comparison of Respondents who found work with Employer within 6months after Graduation

From the 1,799 respondents working for an employer for pay, 88.3 percent found their jobs

within 6 months after graduation (1,588 graduates). This is 49.5 percent of total respondents.

However, to work out the value of qualifications on the chances of obtaining a job, it is

important to exclude the 156 respondents (9%) who were employed before their studies.

This is shown in Table 7 below.

Table 7: Tracer Study of 2012, 2013 and 2014 Graduates from Formal PSET Providers in Samoa Graduat Males Females Total Males Females Total % males % females % total

ion year respond- respond- respond- employed employed employed employed employed employed

ing ing ing within six within six within six within six within six within six

months months months months months months

2012 443 503 946 299 222 521 67.5 44.1 55.1

2013 550 559 1109 238 241 479 43.3 43.1 43.2

2014 546 606 1152 226 206 432 41.4 34 37.5

After excluding graduates that were employed before study, this leaves 91 percent of

respondents who are in new jobs (1,643 graduates). These respondents took an average of

3.1 months to find their new jobs, with 53 percent females. About 87 percent found their

new jobs within 6 months after graduation.

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Figure 9: How long it took to find work for Respondents who didn’t find work in 6months after graduation,

percentage

The remaining respondents working with employers that did not find job within 6 months

after graduation (11.7 percent) took an average time of 15.2 months to find their jobs with a

significant 71.6 percent securing jobs between 7 to 12 months according to Figure 9 above. A

significant 20.9 percent took 13 to 24 months after graduation to find employment.

Figure 10: Proportion of Respondents working for Employer for Pay in New Paid Jobs by Number with

Employers for each Qualification type

The proportions of respondents by qualification type in new jobs are shown in Figure 10.

There are high proportions of respondents in new jobs for Certificate (93.6 percent), Diploma

(94.6 percent) and Bachelor Degree (86.6 percent). These are very good proportions given

the number of respondents per qualification type. However, there are smaller numbers of

respondents for the Master degree and Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma – many of them

had been working before or during their studies.

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INCOME EARNED The overall mean average weekly income is SAT$417.12, and only SAT$412.26 if overseas

graduates are excluded. Figure 11 shows the average weekly income by qualification type.

The Master Degree holders earn the highest mean average weekly income of SAT$1,584.70,

while the Certificate holders earn the lowest, which is $293.84, Samoan Tala.

Figure 11: Average Weekly Income before Tax (Samoan Tala) of Respondents working for an Employer by

qualification type

Of the 1,799 respondents working with employers for pay, 16 of them are with overseas employers earning average weekly income of SAT$959.50 (before tax if calculated at

$2.60USD and $1.70NZD4). There are 15 males who hold Certificates from the NUS (14 in

Maritime, and 1 with a Foundation Certificate in Nursing), and 1 female with a Diploma from Tesese Institute of Administrative Studies (TIAS).

Figure 12 shows interesting findings where males with Masters Degrees, Bachelor Degrees,

and Certificates, earn a higher average weekly income, even though more females hold

Masters & Bachelor Degrees than male. The high in average weekly income of males with

Masters and Bachelors is affected by male graduates holding high positions, and others

working in projects funded by international agencies. Females earn a higher average weekly

income compared to males for those with Postgraduate diplomas or certificates, and for

those with Diplomas. 4Estimated exchange rates at the time of writing.

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Figure 12: Differences in Average Weekly Income Earned by Female & Male Graduates working for an Employer for Pay, by level of qualification

JOB SKILLS MATCH Information about the match between graduates’ field of study and the jobs they get into is a

significant part of assessing employment outcomes. This assessment will determine whether

the graduates were able to find work that matches the skills and knowledge obtained from

their studies.

The information on the respondents’ jobs with employers was coded using the ‘International

Standard Classification of Occupations’ (ISCO). This system is maintained and updated by the

International Labour Organization (ILO). It provides a skills-based coding for different

occupations across 9 levels which is most detailed for an occupation at level four (4 digits).

Results of this coding are shown in Table 8.

Table 8: Proportion of Respondents working with Employers for Pay by 9-levels of the ILO ISCO System, number

& percentage

The highest proportion of respondents (41.6 percent) is at level 2. This is followed by level 4 at 14.8 percent, and level 3 at 14.3 percent. Level 7 also has a notable proportion of 9.4 percent.

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The distribution of respondents working with employers across the 9 levels of ISCO by

qualification type is shown in Table 9.The Professionals at level 2 are substantially made up

of Bachelor degree holders (42.5 percent), followed by Diploma holders (32 percent), and

Certificate holders (19.3 percent).

Table 9: Distribution of Respondents working with Employers for Pay across 9 ISCO Levels by Qualification Type,

percentage of total for each level Four-in-five (80 percent) of the Bachelor degree holders at level 2 are NUS graduates –

mainly the Bachelors in Commerce, Education, and Nursing. Like the Bachelor degree

holders, most Diploma holders at this level are NUS graduates (85.7 percent) – mainly the

Diploma in Education.

The Certificate holders have jobs with the widest distribution across the 9 occupation levels,

with the highest proportions recorded at levels 5, 7, 8 and 9. Some Certificate holders have

jobs at levels 1 and 2. These are graduates with the ECETTI Certificate in Early Childhood

Education, the MCIL Certificate of Due Completion of Apprenticeship, and the NUS

Foundation Certificate (mostly from 2012).

The Bachelor degree holders at levels 4 and 5 in Table 8 are mostly employed in clerk and

assistant positions of the ‘human resource’ and ‘finance’ sections of government agencies.

The description of the tasks provided by respondents for these positions match the

descriptions of the ISCO system at these levels.

The distribution of male and female respondents across the 9 levels of ISCO in Figure 13 shows

that females are concentrated at levels 1 to 4, while males are more dominant at levels 5 to 9.

Males dominate levels 7 and 8 as many of them hold TVET qualifications in trade.

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Figure 13: Gender Distribution of Respondents Working with Employers for Pay across 9-levels of the ILO ISCO, gender proportions by total number in each level

Overall results of job-skills match show that 75.2 percent of respondents working for

employers have jobs that match their skills and qualifications. A closer look at the jobs of

respondents working with employers, in particular those from formal PSET providers of TVET

and academic studies shows 3 outcomes: 1) A close match between job and skills acquired such as a job as a Seaman and a Certificate

II in Maritime Training (Basic Marine Engineering Rating 2), or a job as a Receptionist and a Diploma in Office Administration and Computing.

2) A job which makes use of a generic set of skills which were acquired during studies such as a Customer Service Representative and a Diploma in Business, or a Waitress and a Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality (Tour Guiding).

3) Where there is no match between the job and the skills acquired such as a job as a Baker and a Certificate in Basic Trade Skills, or as a Police Constable and a Diploma in Radio and Electronics.

There is a strong match between skills or qualifications and jobs for the holders of Bachelor

Degrees, Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas, and Masters Degrees. Diplomas in

Education and Nursing have a good match with jobs as many of the holders (if they are

teachers) are referred to the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) or (if they are

nurses) to the Ministry of Health (MOH) or the National Health Services (NHS) for

employment. There is also a strong match for Certificates for those who did maritime

training, Certificates in Early Childhood Education, Certificate of Due Completion of

Apprenticeship, and the Certificate in Adult Teaching.

However, for all other Certificates and Diplomas, there is a weak match between skills or qualifications with jobs. Some of the most notable ones are listed below with percentages of respondents with jobs that do not match their skills or qualifications: - Certificate in Office Administration & Computing (75.8 percent)

- Certificate in Tourism & Hospitality (65.5 percent) - Certificate in Computer Operating (56.7 percent)

- Certificate in Basic Trade Skills (41.4 percent)

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- Diploma in Tourism (93.8 percent)

- Diploma in Office Administration & Computing (51.7 percent)

- Diploma in Office Management (47.2 percent) Many of the respondents with jobs that do not match their skills or qualifications fall under outcome 2 where the generic set of skills acquired during studies is used.

2.2 SECOND OUTCOME: GRADUATE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION &TRAINING RECEIVED

Feedback from graduates on aspects of the education and training they received is another

major outcome of the study. The respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed

with 13 statements about their programmes of study.

They were asked to make their assessment using a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to

5 (strongly agree). The higher the reported average out of 5, the stronger the agreement

with the statement. The ratings provided were converted into an average and reported in

Table 10 and 11. In general, graduates have rated many aspects of their education and

training highly positive.

Table 10: Average rating by Graduates working for employer & graduates working for themselves of statements

about aspects of the Education and Training they received, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) STATEMENTS AVERAGE

Teachers allowed me to ask questions 4.3

Overall I am happy with the way the programme was done 4.3

Teachers had good knowledge of their subject 4.3

Teachers taught me well 4.2

Teachers treated me with respect 4.2

The way I was assessed was a fair test of my skills 4.2

The components of the programme were satisfactory 4.1

Teachers helped me to solve problems 4.1

Access to textbooks or support materials was good 3.9

Access to equipment or tools was good 3.8

Work experience was an important part of the programme 3.6

My teacher or institute arranged for me to get work experience 3.5

My teacher or institute helped me to find work 3.3

Table 11: Average rating by Respondents unemployed & studying of statements about aspects of the Education

and Training they received, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) STATEMENTS AVERAGE

Work experience was an important part of the programme 4.4

Teachers allowed me to ask questions 4.2

Teachers had good knowledge of their subject 4.2

Overall I am happy with the way the programme was done 4.0

Teachers helped me to solve problems 3.9

Teachers treated me with respect 3.8

Teachers taught me well 3.8

Access to textbooks or support materials was good 3.8

The way I was assessed was a fair test of my skills 3.7

Access to equipment or tools was good 3.7

The components of the programme were satisfactory 3.5

My teacher or institute arranged for me to get work experience 3.2

My teacher or institute helped me to find work 3.0

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Assessment by the respondents engaged in unpaid activities in Table 11 shows 4.4 as the

highest average rating for the statement ‘work experience was an important part of the

programme’, along with other notable results. Low averages ranging from 3.5 to 3.0 were

found for statements pertaining satisfactory of programme components, teachers or

institutes arranging work experience, and helping graduates to find work.

Table 12: Average rating by Respondents in Paid activities of providers for statement "My Teacher or Institute

helped me to find work' from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) MCIL

PROVIDERS IFTI PTC LFSFA ECETTI WMTC OUM Apprenticeship USP DBTC LoPMCTC HBC UTVC RHEMA NUS VFTC SSMA AHCBC TIAS

RATINGS 2.6 2.7 2.8 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.4 4.7 5.0

The respondents engaged in ‘paid activities’ (except for Pastors/Ministers) in Table 12, have

the highest average ratings. The proportions of graduates’ ratings for each statement

indicating a 4(Agree), are mostly more than 50 percent. The respondents engaged in unpaid

activities gave higher average ratings of 4.2 and above for only 4 PSET providers, as in Table

13.

Table 13: Average rating by Respondents in Unpaid Activities of providers for the statement 'My Teacher or

Institute helped me to find work' from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) MCIL-

PROVIDER RHEMA IFTI Apprenticeship SPNTC WMTC USP NUS UTVC LoPMCTC ECETTI TIAS DBTC HBC LFSFA AHCBC SSMA VFTC PTC

RATINGS 2.0 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.6 4.2 4.5 4.5 5.0

The lowest average ratings shown in Tables 12 and 13 for the statement ‘my teacher or

institute helped me to find work’ strongly indicate that graduates believed their teachers or

institutes could have done more to help them find work. Average ratings by graduates of

formal PSET provider for this statement are provided in Table 14 and 15.

WORK EXPERIENCE DURING STUDY For all respondents (except for Pastors/Ministers), 44.2 percent received work experience during their studies – mostly those working for employers.

Table 14: Proportion of Respondents who had received work experience as part of their programmes, by formal

PSET provider in percentage of responses Table 14 shows the range in proportions of respondents that received work experience from

each PSET provider. Overall total of 29.2 percent of them said they got a job with the

employer they had work experience with. These graduates were also asked to assess the

relevance of their work experience on a 5-point scale from 1 (not relevant at all) to 5 (very

relevant). More than half of them (56 percent) rated their work experience as “very relevant”

(5), and 40 percent as “relevant” (4). A combined average rating for both is 4.4 out of 5.

The respondents engaged in unpaid activities assessed the statement “work experience was an important part of the programme” and results in average ratings are shown in Table 15 for these PSET Providers.

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Table 15: Rating of the Statement "work experience was an important part of the programme I received,

respondents in unpaid activities, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) MCIL- PROVIDERS USP NUS IFTI VFTC DBTC Apprenticeship LFSFA TIAS HBC LoPMCTC ECETTI UTVC WMTC AHCBC SPNTC PTC RHEMA SSMA

RATINGS 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.5 4.8 5.0 5.0 5.0

The lowest at 3.0 are for NUS and USP. The NUS graduates mostly completed a Foundation Certificate (75 percent). Regardless of not being engaged in paid activities, graduates of SSMA, RHEMA, and PTC assessed this statement positively with average ratings of 5 out of 5.

2.3 THIRD OUTCOME: GRADUATE FEEDBACK ON SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE All respondents engaged in paid activities were asked to assess the “usefulness” of skills and

knowledge gained while studying for their qualifications. Using a 5-point scale from 1 (No use

at all) to 5 (Used in full), a combined average rating of 4.1 out of 5 was the result of their

assessment.

The average ratings vary between providers as shown in Table 16. The lowest average is shown

for VFTC at 2.7 out of 5 – only 2 graduates responded. The top 2 formal PSET providers with

average ratings of 5 out of 5 – only 2 graduates for each PSET provider responded.

Table 16: Average rating by Respondents in paid activities of how useful the knowledge and skills have been to

their jobs/current activities, from 1 (no use at all) to 5 (used in full) MCIL- PROVIDERS VFTC WMTC IFTI DBTC AHCBC UTVC LoPMCTC LFSFA HBC TIAS ECETTI NUS USP PTC SSMA Apprenticeship RHEMA MoTC OUM SPNTC

RATINGS 2.7 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.7 5.0 5.0

The respondents in paid activities also assessed the “relevance” of the skills and knowledge

they received while studying. Using a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly

agree), their assessment resulted in an overall average rate of 4.2 out of 5. However, average

ratings by PSET provider vary as shown in Table 17. Very high ratings are shown for providers

such as SPNTC down to HBC.

Table 17: Average rating by Respondents in paid activities of statement "overall the skills and knowledge received while studying for the qualification are relevant to current job or job they want to do", from 1

(strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)

PROVIDERS VFTC AHCBC WMTC LoPMCTC UTVC DBTC HBC IFTI ECETTI TIAS PTC NUS SSMA LFSFA USP OUM RHEMA MoTC MCIL-

SPNTC

Apprenticeship

RATINGS 3.5 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7

Additionally, respondents in paid activities were asked ‘In your job now, what are the main

skills or knowledge learned in the training/programme that you now use?’ The respondents

in unpaid activities were asked ‘What skills did you learn in the training/programme that has

helped in the activities you do now?’ All respondents were also asked ‘What were the skills

you did not learn enough about during your training/programme?’ and to offer suggestions

for improving the programme or the PSET provider. These questions were open-ended to

enable graduates to state themselves the major skills that are used in their jobs and current

activities.

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Most of the respondents indicated that technical skills5 pertinent in their study areas were

being used. However, a number of generic skills6 were also identified. These generic skills, in order of importance (based on the number of times they were mentioned), include communication, customer service, computing, time management, and problem solving.

More than 50 percent of graduates did not indicate any skills they had not learned enough.

However, for those who did, technical skills are by far the largest category. For generic skills,

computing skills was most notably mentioned in the responses, followed by communications

and customer service. The SQA can produce, upon request from formal PSET providers, a

report on specific skills that graduates had not learned enough for each qualification.

Each of the respondents provided a suggestion for improvement. Their responses were

coded into major categories as shown in Figure 16. Most of the suggestions made by

graduates (45.6 percent) are related to the need to provide sufficient and updated learning

resources. The responses include comments such as “provide enough computers”, “upgrade

computer system and internet connection”, “need more or new tools and equipment”,

“update course readers and library books”, and “provide enough textbooks”.

Figure 16: Respondent suggestions for improving Programmes and Formal PSET Providers, percent of all

suggestions made

The second major proportion of suggestions (20.2 percent) is in relation to the need for

enough teachers who are qualified and committed. The responses include comments like

“provide more qualified teachers”, “teachers must have enough time to assist students”,

“teachers must be on time”, “teachers to improve their delivery”, “lecturers must be active”,

and “they should treat all students fairly”. 5Technical skills comprise the knowledge and capabilities to perform specialized tasks related to a specific field of study. 6Generic skills comprise the knowledge and capabilities which can be applied across a variety of specified fields, and takes longer

to acquire than technical skills. The main categories include ‘communications & teamwork skills’, ‘planning & organizing skills’, ‘problem solving skills’, ‘initiative & enterprise skills’, ‘learning skills’, and ‘self-management skills’.

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For the category “improve timing and content of course/programme” (12.9 percent), some

comments include “improve class schedule”, “more time for training”, “balance practical and

theory”, and “need more discussion time”. For the ‘upgrade facilities’ category (8.3 percent),

some comments include “need bigger classrooms”, “restrooms should be renovated and

maintained”, “expand study area”, “extend library”, “more computer labs”, and “provide

more desks and chairs”.

3. CONCLUSION DISCUSSION OF KEY FINDINGS The major findings show that employment and related outcomes greatly vary between providers, qualification types, and the field of study of the graduates. Key issues from findings for further consideration are as follows:

(a) EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES The findings on employment outcomes by qualifications show that some Certificates (by providers of TVET and academic studies) have low employment outcomes compared to all other qualification types.

The prospects for employment of PSET graduates depend in part on the specific demand

from employers for skills that match a qualification or need by employers. The study results

indicate low employment outcomes of those with qualifications in tourism and trades which

shows that the demand for skills from sectors is not aligned to the supply from PSET.

This means that the formal PSET providers need up-to-date information about the demand

for skills in specific sectors such as tourism and trade. Such information would inform the

development of better sector-specific programmes or qualifications that would be

recognized in sectors. The information will also assist the government agencies, and

potential learners, and will eventually avoid the oversupply of graduates with sector-specific

qualifications.

(b) RELEVANCE OF EDUCATION & TRAINING Overall results show a good match between jobs of graduates working with employers with

their qualifications. However, findings for specific qualifications show that several graduates

are working in areas not directly related to the education and training they received. The

formal PSET providers with qualifications that have good employment outcomes also have

good ratings by respondents of the ‘usefulness’ of skills and knowledge in jobs. These are

also the same formal PSET providers who have good ratings by respondents on ‘relevance’ to

jobs of skills and knowledge.

Findings on type of employers show that many employers prefer graduates with Diplomas or

higher qualifications regardless of the relevance of their field of study. Many holders of

Diplomas and/or higher qualifications are employed in the government. Certificate holders,

in particular those from smaller formal PSET providers, are employed within the private

sector; many are in jobs not directly linked to their qualifications and/or uses only the

generic set of skills acquired during studies.

The responses from graduates on skills they had not learned enough identify the type of skills that need to be emphasized more in PSET. The responses also show that these skills are

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common across many of the formal PSET providers (TVET and academic studies in particular). Computing skills is mostly needed in the workplace, followed by communications, and customer service.

This calls for formal PSET providers to show the generic key competencies that their

graduates have or need to acquire. Key or Core competencies7 have been identified in high-

income countries like Australia and New Zealand, recognizing that social skills are necessary in the workplaces. The SQA has developed national competency standards for generic skills which can be applied across PSET qualifications. This initiative also recognizes the need for key competencies in the workplace to improve the employability of PSET graduates.

The graduates’ assessment of the education and training they received show many of them

giving high ratings for aspects as shown in the findings. However, their suggestions for

improvement also refer to the same aspects which are key elements of programmes to show

their achievement of required standards for quality and effective PSET learning.

The formal PSET providers are encouraged to request from SQA, data specific on their

graduates as well as a list of all the skills that graduates said they had not learned enough

during their studies. This information should assist in their efforts to improve the

qualifications or programmes that they offer.

(c) WHY SOME GRADUATES CANNOT FIND WORK Determining the factors to help explain why some graduates cannot find work is another

important purpose of this study. The findings show about one-out-of-six of respondents

cannot find work; proportion that could have been higher if those who could not be traced

or interviewed had participated in the study. Many of these respondents are Certificate

holders, and are staying at home doing chores such as housework and/or looking after

children. About one-out-of-two of them had actively looked for work, and those who had not

said that it is difficult to find jobs for their qualifications.

The respondents’ feedback on the statement “my teacher or institute helped me to find work” showed low average ratings in the findings. This shows that graduates believed they could have found jobs if they had received help from the teachers and institutions.

The graduates who cannot find work rated work experience as an important part of the

programme very highly (4.4 average rate). The link between work experience and finding a

permanent job with an employer is very important even though only three-out-of-ten

graduates who had work experience got jobs with the same employers.

The arrangement of work experience by formal PSET providers (particularly for programmes

that require a practical component), is the first step to assisting graduates to find work after

graduation. There are several strategies that institutions and teachers can use to establish

partnerships with employers for work experience. The providers can get from employers,

through these partnerships, information on skills they require of their workers, and how well

the students do what is expected of them during their placements.

7www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/definitionandselectionofcompetenciesdeseco.htm

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LIMITATIONS The difficulty to locate graduates during data collection is a major constraint on achieving the

desired response rate and employment outcomes. The information submitted by formal

PSET providers was not sufficient or accurate to assist in the identification of graduates’

whereabouts.

The supply of accurate and complete information from formal PSET providers is very crucial to assist in the facilitation of future national studies of graduates. The SQA’s national studies

are the only sources of data with enough detail on PSET graduate outcomes.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation 1: It is recommended that the SQA works closely with the PSET providers

offering qualifications with low employment outcomes to show cause as to whether offering

these qualifications are justified at all or on a smaller or less frequent scale they are being

offered at present. A key purpose and justification for conducting a national tracer study is for SQA to work with

providers to make changes in light of the feedback received on employment outcomes. PSET

providers offering qualifications with poor outcomes in the labour market need to ‘show

cause’ that they are not misleading prospective students about the value of the qualifications

they are providing.

Recommendation 2: Providers offering qualifications with a specific sector focus need also to

provide evidence to employers that these qualifications are also providing generic

competencies that can be applied in other work settings as well. It is recommended that the

SQA ensure that key competencies related to employability are incorporated into the

competency profile of sector specific qualifications. Employers have just as strong an interest in general employability skills as they have in

specific technical skills, especially where the latter can also be taught on-the-job. The SQA

has in place the Generic Skills Sector Advisory Group which is overseeing the development of

National Competency Standards on these skills. This initiative could assist providers in

identifying generic competencies for their qualifications.

Recommendation 3: PSET providers can improve the employment outcomes of their

graduates by ensuring that they have relevant work experience with employers (specifically

for programmes that must have practical components). It is recommended that SQA develop

and promote a good practice guide to PSET providers and to the public about the benefits of

work placements. This guide should cite the evidence presented in the SQA tracer studies about the

employment related benefits and the feedback from many graduates that this form of

support is important in their studies. The guide should also show how providers can best

approach employers about providing opportunities for work placements. The guide should

also include a checklist of key steps providers need to take to work closely with employers to

ensure that the provider, the employer and the student gain the most from the experience.

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Recommendation 4: SQA to continuously work with PSET providers using tracer study findings to

improve the quality and relevancy of their programmes delivered offered to ensure parents are

getting value for their money and graduates graduated with recognised qualifications. The parents want to see that their investments in educating their children are maximise with their children graduated with quality, relevant and recognised qualifications that are accepted and recognised by employers both locally and overseas.

Recommendation 5: It is recommended that tracer study findings are include in the SQA Career

Advisory Services activities such as the school visits and National Career Day events particularly

on information related to employment outcomes of specific qualifications, relevancy of

qualifications/skills/knowledge to and the wages earned by graduates in specific occupations. Information on the labour market demand for a range of common occupations is missing

from the documentation for career advice of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour

and the SQA’s Career Advisory Services. The tracer study results are the best source for this

labour market information including other recent survey data on the labour force.

Recommendation 6: It is recommended that the SQA also include a request for other related

information and that a template of key questions be developed and circulated to all

providers. The tracer study results show that the additional information needed about the

employment gained by a graduate includes whether it is matched to the field of study of the

qualification undertaken. Also important to find out the wage rate per hour the graduate is

earning as a measure of the quality of the work. Information about any jobs held since

graduating, what type of job and hourly wage rate would also help provide a complete

picture in a labour market where jobs are scarce.

Recommendation 7: It is recommended that PSET providers provide accurate and complete graduates’ information to the SQA through its PSET Annual Survey. They are also encouraged to conduct their own graduate studies for each qualification they

offer within six to nine months after graduation. It is also proposed that SQA promote the

use of a simple, low cost methodology, as outlined in the SQA tracer survey training manual.

In addition, providers conducting tracer studies to submit report to SQA to assist in the

conduct on the national tracer study every three years

Recommendation 8: The SQA needs to continue to conduct a national tracer study every three years to cross check the information that providers are reporting on an annual basis

and to carry out more complex analysis of the labour market outcomes. Systematic information is needed for the PSET sector as a whole to assess its performance in

terms of matching supply to demand. For specific elements such as TVET which may be

operating under new funding arrangements, the effect of these arrangements on

employment and related outcomes will need to be monitored. There is a danger that if, for

example, some funding for providers is tied to outcomes, and this information is based on

tracer studies carried out by providers, a means of cross checking the reliability of these

results will be need.

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