DOCUMENT RESUME ED 468 767 JC 020 622 Employer Follow-Up Report (2000-2001). TITLE Wisconsin Technical Coll. System Board, Madison. INSTITUTION 2001-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 29p. Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) PUB TYPE Reports Research (143) Tests/Questionnaires (160) EDRS Price MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *College Graduates; *College Outcomes Assessment; Community DESCRIPTORS Colleges; Competence; *Employer Attitudes; *Employer Employee Relationship; *Job Performance; Job Skills; Satisfaction; *Technical Education; Two Year College Students; Two Year Colleges; Vocational Evaluation *Wisconsin Technical College System IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT The employer satisfaction survey is conducted once every four years to collect data on employers' perceptions of recent graduates of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). The primary objective of the survey is for employers to rate how well graduates meet employers' expectations, compared with what the employers expect of an entry-level employee in three major areas: (1) technical work skills; (2) people skills; and (3) attitude. Approximately 3,000 employers were asked how satisfied they were with their employee's education, if they would recommend technical college graduates to another employer, and if they would hire a technical college graduate again. Graduates of the 16 technical colleges were asked to give their permission for the colleges to contact their employers to participate in the employer satisfaction survey. Only employers of those students who agreed to participate, and who employed graduates in occupations related to their field of study were surveyed. Key findings included: 63% (1) of employers stated that the employee meets their expectations for knowledge related to job; 27% said the employee exceeded expectations; 1% said (2) (3) 81% of employers surveyed said the employee did not meet expectations; (4) the employee met expectations in application of occupational knowledge; (5) 31% said the employee exceeded expectations; and (6) 1% said the employee did not meet expectations. Appended are several tables and the survey instrument. (NB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Employer Follow-Up Report (2000-2001) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and frnprovement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as BEEN GRANTED BY received from the person or organization originating it. zr 14. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. Wisconsin Technical College System Board AVAILABLE BEST COPY TABLE OF CONTENTS Paga Overview 1 Introduction 1 Methodology 1 Occupational Knowledge Related to Job 2 Application of Occupational Knowledge 3 Use/Operation of Equipment, Tools and Materials 4 5 Problem Solving Skills Reading and Writing Skills 6 7 Completes Work Organizational Skills 8 Computer Ski Ils 9 Math Skills 10 Tables: Data for All Divisions, All Levels, All Programs 11 Data by Instructional Division 12 Data by Type of Degree Granted 21 Appendix A: Employer Survey 25 If you need further information, contact Patti Schuettler, Planning Analyst, at (608) 266-5857 or e-mail: [email protected]. OVERVIEW Introduction The Employer Satisfaction Survey is conducted once every four years to collect data on employers' perceptions of recent graduates of the Wisconsin Technical College System. Employers are in a unique positi on to assess the effectiveness of a technical college education in preparing people for employment. In turn, em ployers' responses can be used as a valuable tool for the evaluation of educational programs and services off ered by the Wisconsin Technical College System. The primary objective of this survey is for employers to rate graduates' attributes on how well they meet the employers' expectations com pared to what they expect of an entry-level employee in three major areas: Technical Work Skills (occupational knowledge, application of occupational 1. knowledge, use/operation of equipment, problem solving, read and writing, work quality, organizational, computer, and math skills); People Skills (listening and speaking, interpersonal, and teamwork ski Ils); 2. Attitude (customer focused, improves performance, good work ethic, and accepts 3. advice). Employers were also asked three general questions: how satisfied they are with the graduate's technical college education, if they would recommend technical college graduates to another employer, and if they would hire a technical college graduate again. Statewide detail by instructional area and type of degree granted is provided on these expectations and general questions in the tables that follow. In addition, employers were asked how i mportant these traits would be to graduates they would It was found that the majority of employers believe each of the attributes listed hire in the future. will be very important or important in employees that they will hire in the future. Methodology The 16 technical colleges surveyed graduates of programs between October and December of 2001. On this survey, graduates were asked to give their permission for the techni cal colleges to contact their employers to participate in the employer satisfaction survey. Participants in this survey consisted only of employers of those graduates who gave permission for the techni cal college to contact their employer and who reported being employed in occupati ons related to their training. Res ponses were submitted to the Wi sconsin Technical College System Board for compilation of this statewide report. A copy of the survey instrument is included as Appendix A. NOTE: Percentages in the following charts and tables may not add to 100 percent in al I cases due to rounding. 1 4 OCCUPATIONAL KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO JOB Employers were asked how well the graduate's occupational knowledge related to the job meets their entry- level employee expectations. As shown below, 814 employers (27 percent) rated graduates as exceeding their expectations; 1,897 (63 percent) said graduates met their expectations; and 238 (8 percent) stated they nearly met their expectations. Only 28 employers (1 percent) said the graduates did not meet their expectations, and 17 employers (1 percent) felt this question did not apply. 28 Does Not Meet 1% 814 Exceeds 27% 238 Nearly 1,897 Meets Meets 8% 63% 17 Does Not Apply 1% 2 5 APPLICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL KNOWLEDGE As indicated below, 941 employers (31 percent) rated graduates as exceeding their expectations of an entry-level employee on the application of their occupational knowledge related to the job; 1,745 (58 percent) said they met their expectations; 257 (9 percent) stated they nearly met their expectations; 30 (1 percent) said graduates did not meet their expectations, and 22 employers (1 percent) felt this question did not apply. 30 Does Not Meet 1% 941 Exceeds 31% 1,745 Meets 58% 257 Nearly Meets Li:L 9°/0 22 Does Not Apply 1% 3 USE/OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT, TOOLS AND MATERIALS Graduates were rated on their ability to use and operate equipment, tools and materials. 916 employers (30 percent) said graduates exceeded their expectations; 1,765 (59 percent) felt they met their expectations; 178 employers (6 percent) stated they nearly met their expectations; only 27 employers (1 percent) said graduates did not meet their expectations in this area, and 110 employers (4 percent) said this question did not apply. 27 Does Not Meet 1% 916 Exceeds 30% 1,765 178 Meets Nearly 59% Meets 6% 110 Does Not Apply 4% 4 7 PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS Employers rated graduates on their problem solving ability as entry-level employees: 872 employers (29 percent) said graduates exceeded their expectations; 1,580 (53 percent) said they met their expectations; 446 (15 percent) felt they nearly met expectations; 71 employers (2 percent) stated graduates did not meet their expectations, and 22 employers (1 percent) said this question did not apply. 71 Does Not Meet 2% 872 Exceeds 29% 1,580 Meets 53% 446 Nearly 22 Meets Does Not 15% Apply 1% 5 READING AND WRITING SKILLS As indicated below, 945 employers (31 percent) rated graduates as exceeding their expectations in the area of reading and writing skills; 1,829 (61 percent) said they met their expectations; 145 (5 percent) stated they nearly met their expectations; 16 employers (1 percent) felt graduates did not meet their expectations and 56 employers (2 percent) felt this question did not apply. 16 Does Not Meet 1% 945 Exceeds 31% 1,829 145 Meets Nearly 61% Meets 5% 56 Does Not Apply 2% 6 9 COMPLETES WORK Employers were asked to rate the entry-level employee on his/her ability to complete work in accordance with quality standards; 1,195 employers (40 percent) stated graduates exceeded their expectations; 1,482 (49 percent) said they met expectations; 260 (9 percent) felt they nearly met expectations; 40 employers (1 percent) said graduates did not meet their expectations, while 16 employers (1 percent) felt this question did not apply. 40 Does Not Meet 1% 1,195 Exceeds 40% 1,482 Meets 49% 260 16 Nearly Does Not Meets Apply 90/0 1% 7 10