Tracer Study of Master in Information Technology Graduates of Isabela State University, Philippines Using eGTS Platform

Abstract

The study focuses on the employment status of graduates in the Master in Information Technology (MIT).  Descriptive type of research method was utilized in the study. The data gathered are extracted from the online tracer survey questionnaire of the electronic-Graduate Tracer Survey (eGTS). The survey instrument used in the study was provided by the Research and Development Office of the university.  It is essentially a locally developed and validated instrument designed for tracer studies by the Commission on Higher Education.  Differences on the responses of the graduates were also identified in the different factors affecting MIT graduates’ employability in terms of personal factors, academic factors, employment factors, unemployment factors and school related factors. It was also described the employment status of graduates considering the length of waiting period, starting pay, nature of job taken, and relevance of the job to training, mobility and job satisfaction. Results revealed that more than half of the presently employed MIT graduates are in education.  Most of the respondents waited for one to six months before being employed in their first job.  Salaries and benefits, career challenge and related to special skill are the top three reasons of the MIT graduates for staying in the present job.