CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION A tracer study is a graduate or alumni survey that attempts to trace

the activities of the graduates or previous students of an educational institution (Millington, n.d.). Tracer studies enable the contextualization of graduates of a particular university through a system that is dynamic and reliable in order to determine their life path or movement (The Association of African Universities or AAU, 2002 and Boaduo,Mensah and Babitseng, 2009). Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Sta. Mesa Manila, Department of Banking and Finance has a graduate of over 328 students by the year 2008. From this number of graduates the college was not able to keep the complete database or record and whereabouts of the said graduates. As an outcome to this, the college department wasnt able to distinguish where the graduates are, what they do and if their degree helped on their present job. The aim of this study is to trace the graduates of Bachelor in Banking and Finance at the year 2008 in order to know their employment history, to know if their degree helped on their current career, and to help the department identify the improvement needed on their programs and curriculum. This study addresses the following questions: If they are employed? In what sectors of the economy are they employed? How adequate and relevant the Banking and Finance curriculum was? What skills helped them the most? What are the foremost considerations of companies in accepting job applicants, particularly new graduates?

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BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE The Department of Banking and Finance (DBF), one of the three departments in the College of Economics, Finance and Politics (CEFP), provides students foundation in bank operations and investment principles and policies. The curriculum is regularly examined, reviewed and then revised to update and cope with the current developments, trends and needs in modern financial and business world. The students are trained and encouraged to join outside university and business organization competitions in finance, accounting and economics quizzes, debates and actual business planning. Seminars, convocations and student conferences are part of their academic requirements to prepare them for actual employment. They are also required to do on-the-job training and practicum in various banking and finance establishments, which in turn ultimately serve as place for their real job employment. Our graduates are easily accommodated immediately after their graduation because they are the products of strong force of faculty, many of whom are not just practitioners but business owners and officers of banks and insurance companies. They are also sought by the national municipal and barangay government organizations and NGOs as lecturers in livelihood and entrepreneurial formation and operation. The department has also established permanent linkages and tie-ups with big and prestigious banking and non-banking financial institutions not only as training stations of our practicummers but also as sponsors of seminars for our students like the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine Stock of Exchange (PSE), the Philippine Insurance and the

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Philippine Finance Executives (PFINEX) and others. These companies also accommodate our graduates for employment. Part of the total enhancement of our banking and finance students is providing them with tutorial services in their major subjects without added costs to them in order for them to be competitive in the outside world. Because of the above advantages, the DBF has traditionally the largest number of students, combined new entrants and shiftees, among the three departments of the CEFP. The shiftees from other courses in the university usually choose banking and finance as their first option because the course offerings are programmed in such a way that most if not all of the subject they have already taken in their previous courses can be credited.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: BACHELOR IN BANKING AND FINANCE (BBF) RATIONALE The curriculum emphasizes not only the use and transfer of information but in the development and ability of the students to analyze, interpret, and render intelligent decisions in a knowledge-based global economy. It includes a variety of subjects meant to capture the dramatic development and challenges of the banking industry. Moreover, pursuant to the international standards of higher education qualification adopted in the Bologna Accord, there is a need to increase the content of the existing curriculum from the current 173 credits to the minimum of 180 credits for the Bachelors degree.

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The BBF is a bachelor degree program that aims to equip students with sound and relevant knowledge and skills in Banking and Finance. This program intends to provide the students foundation in banking operations, investments principles and policies geared towards producing key executives and personnel in banks and other financial institutions. Student of the program are exposed to practical training, case study analysis and researches in the field of banking and non-banking operations and practices. Furthermore, students skills in financial analysis and decision-making are sharpened to meet the challenges of the times. Vision Promoting a relevant and responsive bachelor degree program designed to meet the needs of the industry in the field of banking and finance, investment and other allied fields.

Mission To provide the students fundamental knowledge of the principles of banking, finance and its related areas. To keep abreast with the present trends by reviewing and revising the curricular program. To strengthen the research program in the department. To produce graduates who are highly competitive, efficient and effective leaders in the field of banking and finance

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Objectives: Diploma in Banking and Finance The program seeks to: 1. Introduce students to the fundamental knowledge, concepts and principles inherent in the fields of banking and finance. 2. Develop the basic skills necessary for a career in the banking and finance industry; and 3. Improve social awareness and concern enrooted to becoming more effective citizens.

Degree in Bachelor in Banking and Finance The program seeks to: 1. Develop experts in the field of banking, finance, investment and allied fields; 2. Equip students with a thorough understanding of the mechanics of the whole financial system; 3. Install moral values and developing awareness of the duties and responsibilities of a finance practitioner; and 4. Enhance the quality of a human life through social awareness and concern by becoming a more effective citizen. Career Opportunities Bank and Non-bank Financial Institution Private and Government Insurance Company Investment Houses BPOs engage in investment, mortgage, lending and other related activities in Finance
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Diploma in Bachelor in Banking & Finance Data Base Administrator Credit Field Officer Credit & Loan Supervisor Credit and Loan Processor Credit Appraiser Foreign Exchange Trader/Processor Insurance Consultant

Degree in Bachelor in Banking & Finance Bank Teller Insurance Broker/Agent Bank Cashier Account Executive/Officer Cash Position Analyst Credit & Loan Analyst Branch Manager Financial Analyst Securities & Investment Analyst Money Market Trader/Supervisor Assistant Branch Manager Trust Manager Financial Planner Chief Financial Officer Credit and Loan Supervisor Trading Floor Supervisor Senior Trader Senior Credit Appraiser

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Figure 1.The Career EDGE model

Dacre Pool and Sewell (2007) The Career EDGE model postulated by Dacre Pool and Sewell (2007) shares the holistic approach to curriculum design. It is a model that is a product of experience and much research work within the Careers field. The focus has been on model building and creation of some powerful concepts. The guidance they provide on actual design issues or implementation is generic and fairly basic: this study acknowledges the debt to model builders but focuses on how individual institutions have managed to implement the concepts they embody and it can be used as a clear and useable framework that clarifies the elements that need to be addressed to ensure that graduates secure occupations in which they can be both satisfied and successful. The Career EDGE Model was selected to be used as a basis of the framework, since it was found as the most up-to-date and it includes the relevant dimensions discussed in the literature and several of the most recognized employability models as DOTS (1977). The model propose the

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mnemonic Career EDGE to facilitate recall of these elements and argue that when students have support in reflecting and evaluating on these experiences it leads to enhanced self- efficacy, selfesteem and self-confidence. This in turn leads to far greater prospects for

employability. Importantly, the model is straightforward for academics, students, employers and parents to recognize and understand Employability is having sets of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal attributes that make a person more likely to choose and secure occupations in which they can be satisfied and successful. (Dacre Pool and Sewell, 2007) Employability, featured as a curricular process that aids the student in the development of appropriate skills and learning. It also represented the attainment of a set of achievements in specific areas that are relevant to a particular job. Employability is also about capability, and in relation to higher education, producing graduates that are capable and able, and it is about learning, and learning how to learn (Lees 2002). These assumptions are diagramed in figure 1. The components and their relationship to the whole system are as follows: 1. Career (Development Learning) consist of PDP (Personal development plan) which deals with identification of future plans. This dimension includes skills referring to abilities to identify opportunities in the job market, to evaluate their potential, to present themselves effectively to prospective employers, and how to make considered decisions about their careers. 2. Experience (Works and Life) introduces what incorporates in development trainings and practice.) It also reveals that graduate's prior work and life experience is greatly valued by the employers.

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3. Degree (Subject, knowledge, skills and understanding) refers to the degree qualification and it is the central concept since the grading system is mainly considered by employers in graduate's evaluation. As the authors suggested, although it plays a central role, it is obvious that in many cases, only the grading report is unlikely to secure a graduate occupation in which they can be satisfied and successful. 4. Generic Skills represent the skills which can potentially be transferred to a range of contexts (Bennett et al., 1999), (e.g., Imagination/creativity; Adaptability/flexibility; Willingness to learn; Team working; etc). Harvey et al., (1997) suggest that employers prefer graduates with well-developed generic skills in different areas. 5. Emotional Intelligence refers is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well inn ourselves and in our relationships. Coleman (1998). 6. Self-efficacy, self-confidence and self-esteem provide a crucial link between knowledge, understanding, skills, experience and personal attributes and

employability,, since "efficacy beliefs influence how people think, feel, motivate themselves and act" Bandura (1995). According to Goleman (1998), people with selfconfidence are able to present themselves with self-assurance and have "presence". Dacre and Sewell (2007) support the inclusion of self-esteem in the model citing Lawrence (1996) who indicates that the level of achievement is influenced by how the people feel about themselves; this finding is supported by research showing a positive correlation between self-esteem and achievement. It is suggested that

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increased self-esteem is a major part of the key to employability, since "People with global self-esteem have self-responsibility. 7. Reflection and evaluation refer to opportunities for reflection on and evaluation of the learning experiences and have a crucial role in the context of employability since they help students to give full consideration on their progress and future actions (Moon, 2004) Figure 2.The USEM model of employability

In 2003 Knight and Yorke offered a now widely accepted defining statement of employability as a set of achievements - skills, understandings and personal attributes - that make individuals more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy (p.5). They propose an evidence based approach whereby the student graduates with a portfolio of evidence based not only on their own assessed results (which may include assessed marks for teamwork, presentations, communication etc) but also their own reflections and evidence from formative
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activities, including work experience (PDP). Although this rather leaves the potential employer with the task of interpreting the evidence so marshaled (or marshaled in the form of a Models of employability development, CV application form or interview) it does have the benefit of being a practical response to a difficult problem. They also tell us what employability is not; stressing that it cannot be reduced to skills, should not be confused with employment statistics such as first destination data, and should not be equated with measures such as the classification of an honors degree. Employability results from a blend of achievements in four broad areas, and is represented in the USEM model of employability'. (Knight and Yorke 2003 p.8), which considers the following four factors:

Understanding of disciplinary subject-matter and how organizations work Skillful practices in context (academic, employment, and life in general) Efficacy beliefs Meta-cognition 1. Understanding is preferred as it reflects a greater depth of knowledge, representing development of appropriate subject knowledge, particularly as it relates to the notion of a professional practitioner. 2. Skillful Practice is the use of skills in context and task-sensitive exercise, for

example, communication needs to be assessed in a number of contexts before you can confirm that somebody is a skilful communicator. This is in contrast to narrowly conceived notion of a set of key skills of communication. 3. Efficacy Beliefs reflect the learner's notion of self, their self-belief, and the possibility for self-improvement and development. Yorke (2003) explains efficacy as the student's

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recognition that they can develop, and their ability is not a fixed entity. Arguing that academic intelligence (closely related to IQ) is fixed, whereas practical intelligence (the capacity to deal with life's messy problems as may be faced in employment) can develop throughout adult life, Yorke (2003) emphasizes the importance of developing student's efficacy or self-belief. 4. Meta-cognition complements efficacy and embraces the notion self-awareness, of learning how to learn, of reflection in and on practice and a capacity for self-regulation. It encompasses knowledge of general strategies for learning, thinking and problem-solving, and contributes to the continued learning that professionals need to do if they are to grow and keep pace with changes in the demands of their work or lifelong learning.

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Figure 3. The Paradigm of the Study

The INPUT comprises the needed respondents data to come up with a statistical analysis of this Tracer study. First, the General Profile include variables that address information of the respondents Name, Location, Email Address, Age, Contact numbers, Sex, Civil status, and Year Graduated. Employment Profile includes information about all employment background including part-time jobs, position, and location of the company, inclusive dates,
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Gross Monthly income and reasons of leaving. It also includes variables which categorize the employment stability and standards of qualifications. Third, Job application variables includes sets of actions that might be taken for future employment, span of time and ways to get a job, and type of institution. Fourth, skills profile includes list of skills and statements regarding the curriculum that will be evaluated by the perspective of the graduates. The PROCESS includes all the tools used in data-gathering that enable researchers to distribute the questionnaires: House-to-house distribution, Email, Facebook messaging and phone interview. Following the gathering of data, statistical treatment through the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) lastly, the Interpretation of data. The OUTPUT contains the employment status and the impact of curriculum for employability of PUP BBF Graduates of 2008.

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HYPOTHESES

1. The civil status of the respondents has no significant relationship to their employability. 2. The Educational Profile and the Employability rate have no significance relationship. 3. The BBF graduates achieved job positions that do not significantly relate to their degree. 4. The skills being offered by the curriculum has no significant relationship with the consideration of employers in accepting job applicants.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1. What is the personal profile of the respondents in terms of the following: a. Sex b. Civil Status c. Present Location 2. What are their employment status in terms of the following: a. Employed i. Present Occupation ii. Name of the Company iii. Position iv. Place/Area of work b. In part-time employment c. Self- Employed d. Unemployed 3. What actions they undertake in preparation for their future employment? 4. How long it takes for them to land in their first job after college? 5. Which area of competence helps the BBF graduates of year 2007 & 2008 in finding their respective jobs? 6. What are the area of competence during the BBF course are given too much, about right or too little attention? 7. How important is BBF program to the graduates?

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SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

This tracer study focuses on determining the general profile and employment profile of the PUP Sta. Mesa graduates of Banking and Finance Batch 2008 only. It also comprises the respondents present employment status. The researchers aim to identify if their current career is still in line with their courses taken.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The researchers will provide knowledge about the university graduates employability in Bachelor in Banking and Finance offered during the Academic Year 2007-2008. The study is significant for the benefit of the following sectors and groups of persons: To the government, specifically Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), to pursue their mission which is to promote full employment by facilitating access of Filipino jobseekers to local employment opportunities through policy researches, standards setting, strategy development, labor market analysis and provision of technical assistance to regional implementers in support of employment service operations. To The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as a key leader and effective partner in transforming college students towards producing highly competent and productive professionals through dynamic excellent and client oriented services. To the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sta. Mesa, Manila, Administrative Officials, this will be a significant basis for initiating and implementing improvement plans to its academic curriculum, as it will provide information about the graduates chosen career, it will also serve as their reference point in improving and designing new programs that are addressing the real needs of the college and lastly, this study could provide contacts for the mentors in case of holding seminars and when in need for speakers and among others. To the Faculty, this will serve the professors, educators and mentors to upgrade the standards by continuously uplifting the minds of the students to be competitive and to excel in the field of Banking and Finance by cultivating academically skilled students who will take active participation in the globally competitive world for service and international development acquired in the University.

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To the Parents, this will serve as their basis in encouraging and motivating their college children to be serious in their chosen field and their long term educational career with the assurance that at the end of the 4 year journey in college, they will end up to have a good job. To the Students, this will serve as their motivation to study harder in pursuing their dreams working in their chosen field as successful graduates. To the future researchers, this study will be a big help and serve as a reference for the future studies.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS BANKING and FINANCE It refers to the nature of industry which is relating to the business of operating a bank and finances. COMMUNICATION SKILLS CAREER The skills or activity of conveying information. The profession or occupation chosen as ones life work of the respondents. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE It refers to the following variables: age, gender, civil status and location of residence. EMPLOYABILITY It refers to the matching of the trainings and education given by the PUP to its graduates. EMPLOYMENT PROFILE It refers to the present employment status of the respondents. EMPLOYMENT STATUS It refers to the tenure, salary, incentives and benefits of the Department of Banking and Finance graduates batch 2008. FREQUENCY It refers to the representation, either in a graphical or tabular format, which displays the number of observations within a given interval. GRADUATES It refers to the students of Department of Banking and Finance who has completed their degree. SELF-EMPLOYED Present employment status of the respondents which is earning income from their own business or profession rather than by working for someone else. SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences is a computer program used for statistical analysis for this study.

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TRACER STUDY

It is a type of descriptive research that traces the activities of graduates or alumni who had left the institution after completing the course or field of specialization.

UNEMPLOYED

It refers to the respondents who dont have a job.

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