Work Readiness of Students in the Digital Age: An Application of NACE Career Readiness Competencies and Social Cognitive Career Theory

Abstract

              This academic article aimed to present an integrative conceptual framework for understanding and developing work readiness among students in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The framework synthesised three foundational frameworks: Work Readiness Theory, the National Association of Colleges and Employers Career Readiness Competencies (NACE, 2021), and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as developed by Lent et al. (1994). Work readiness was conceptualised as a multidimensional construct encompassing four core dimensions: Personal Characteristics, Organisational Acumen, Work Competence, and Social Intelligence. These dimensions corresponded systematically to the eight NACE career readiness competencies, namely career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology. Drawing on SCCT, six influential factors shaping work readiness were identified: career self-efficacy, learning experiences, outcome expectations, goal clarity, contextual supports, and contextual barriers. These factors influenced the development of career competencies essential for successful employment transitions in rapidly evolving digital work environments. Recommendations for higher education institutions included systematically integrating all eight NACE competencies into curricula, providing high-quality experiential learning opportunities such as internships, cooperative education, and project-based learning, and cultivating robust industry partnerships to ensure graduates possessed the career competencies demanded by the digital labour market. The proposed framework offered a theoretically comprehensive foundation for designing learning programmes to develop work readiness and formulating graduate employability policies in the digital age.