Employability Skills and Career Preparedness among College Students in Nagaland: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Concerns about students' employability skills and job readiness have been highlighted by the widening gap between the demands of the labour market and higher education, especially in developing nations. While earlier research has looked at employability in general, little empirical study has looked at the connection between career readiness and employability abilities in situations that are particular to a certain region, like North-East India. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the employability skills and career readiness of Nagaland college students and investigate the correlation between these two factors. A structured questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale was used to gather the primary data from 269 college students, utilising a quantitative research approach. The data was analysed using Pearson's correlation analysis and descriptive statistics. The results show that students have a modest level of professional readiness (mean = 3.41) and employability abilities (mean = 3.47). Additionally, the employability skills and career preparedness were shown to be positively and statistically significantly correlated (r = 0.64, p < 0.01), indicating that stronger employability skills are linked to greater career readiness. The study highlights the importance of integrating skill-based learning, practical training, and career guidance initiatives within higher education to enhance students’ preparedness for labour market. The findings provide useful learning for educators and policymakers in improving graduate employability in similar regional contexts.