Teacher Education Graduates’ Employability Skills, Job Performance and Satisfaction in Their Workplace

Abstract

Education graduates are expected to possess not only academic qualifications but also a wide range of employability skills that contribute to their effectiveness and satisfaction in the workplace. This study investigated the relationship between employability skills, job performance, and job satisfaction among education graduates of a private university in Ozamiz City during the School Year 2024–2025, with particular focus on the mediating role of job performance. A descriptive correlational research design with mediation analysis was employed, involving 102 education graduates selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using structured and validated survey instruments and analyzed using Mean, Standard Deviation, Spearman’s Rank-Order Correlation, and mediation analysis techniques. The findings revealed that respondents demonstrated high levels of employability skills, job performance, and job satisfaction. Significant positive relationships were found between employability skills and job performance, as well as between employability skills and job satisfaction. Furthermore, job performance significantly mediated the relationship between employability skills and job satisfaction, indicating that graduates with strong employability skills tend to perform better in their jobs, which in turn enhances their level of satisfaction. The study underscores the importance of strengthening employability skills development in teacher education programs to improve both performance and satisfaction outcomes among graduates, while also encouraging educational institutions and employers to implement strategies that further enhance graduates’ competencies and workplace effectiveness.