The 4c’s skill set and its impact on students’ future career adaptability recommendations based on united nations’ sustainable development goal 4

This research article aims to measure the impact of the four factors in the 4C skills model on students' ability to adapt to future careers.. Because of this, the writers’ topic of choic

Bộ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC KÌNH TẾ THÀNH PHÓ Hỏ CHÍ MINH

BÁO CÁO TỐNG KẾT

THƯỞNG “NHÀ NGHIÊN cứu TRẺ UEH ” NÀM 2024

THE 4C’S SKILL SET AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS’ FUTURE CAREER ADAPTABILITY:

RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON UNITED NATIONS’

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4

Thuộc nhóm chuyên ngành: Kinh tế học - Kinh tể phát triôn - Kinh tế chỉnh trị

TP Hồ Chí Minh, Tháng 02/2024

In a VUCA environment, people and organizations across all industries must adapt fast if they are to survive and grow in a constantly shifting environment Pupils and students, in particular, in the sphere of education, need to be aware of this setting and acquire the abilities to adapt and advance their future jobs Most importantly, meeting the requirements of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and quality education Focusing on factors that promote students' employability will help address undesirable unemployment situations, which can impact the sustainable development of the country The 4Cs skills, sometimes referred to as the critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity skills, are included in this framework Since these four competencies are

increasingly acknowledged as competencies that distinguish students who are

prepared for the increasingly complicated job and life contexts of today's world, they arc crucial to preparing students for their future The 4Cs skills, sometimes referred to as the critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity skills, are included in this framework Since these four competencies are

increasingly acknowledged as competencies that distinguish students who are prepared for the increasingly complicated job and life contexts of today's world, they arc crucial to preparing students for their future This research article aims to

measure the impact of the four factors in the 4C skills model on students' ability to

adapt to future careers Data were collected online via Google Forms and received

270 respondents and analyzed using SPSS tool We hope to contribute to a belter understanding of promoting the development of necessary skills for students, so that they are best equipped for future work and minimize risks or dangers, unemployment opportunity This skills model is a novel exploration that the authors hope will contribute a new approach to the field, thereby accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs

Keywords: 4C's skills, career adaptability, VUCA context, students,

education,

3.1.6 Additional hypothesis 24

3.3 Develop official quantitative research scales and questionnaires 27

CHAPTER 4: OFFICIAL QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH RESULTS 31

4.2.5 Test research hypotheses

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 : Overview of previous studies related to the topic 9Table 3.1 : Summary of factors in the research model 23

Table 4.1 : Statistical results describing the sample in the formal study 31

Table 4.4 : KMO and Bartlett’s tests of independent variables 37Table 4.5 : Results of dependent variable tests using KMO and Bartlett 40

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 : Preliminary theoretical research model 13

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW1.1 Reason for choosing the topic

The world is changing quickly, and each person must be ready to meet unforeseen problems in the future According to numerous studies, career adaptability can, in some cases, make it easier for people to find not just any work, but a job that pays more (Ute-Christine Klehe et al, 2012) Since there are fewer good employment available due to poor economic growth, the issue of mismatch has grown, and career adaptability is consequently given more importance (Jung Eon Kwon, 2019) If career adaptability is good, it is projected that even for college students who have not yet entered the workforce, employability will rise above what is generally predicted (Jung Eon Kwon,

2019) In order to succeed in the modern job market, students must start controlling and planning their long-term careers while still in school (Jos

Akkermans et al, 2018)

Skills are essential for ensuring that qualified graduates find work (Huisan

ct al, 2013) Students with soft skills will be versatile and able to fit into any type of career Employability skills are crucial because research shows that they can help people better deal with change and advance their job prospects (Rasul

el al, 2010) More than half of recent graduates searching for jobs lack professionalism/work ethic, critical thinking/problem-solving skills, and verbal communication skills, according to a survey of 400 entrepreneurs (Bishop,2010) The 4Cs skills, sometimes referred to as the critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity skills, arc included in this framework Since these four competencies are increasingly acknowledged as competencies that distinguish students who are prepared for the increasingly complicated job and life contexts of today's world, they are crucial to preparing students for their future Students today are ill-prepared for the increasingly complex work and personal environments of the twenty-first century, and they are also ill-prepared for the future (Parlindungan Pardede, 2020)

Duc to technology advancements and globalization, businesses often

demand new and different sorts of abilities from their employees now than they did in the past (Cinar, Dongel, & Sogutlu, 2009) Employers recently recognized creativity, critical thinking, and cooperation as the top 5 employability skills for college students (Brewer, 2013; Leopoldet et al, 2016).According to studies, many employers place a higher priority on job application abilities than on reputation and academic degrees (Goodwin et al, 2019).

(Guzmanct al, 2013) says that in organizations that are constantly changing, persons with higher job abilities can adapt to any scenario efficiently According to (SCANS, 2001), researchers have decided to assess the degree of problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills Employers consider these three competencies to be the most critical when hiring recent grads

To generalize the problems that require research, the writers used the

VUCA context This context is allegedly applicable in the corporate environment to explain the instability and quick change of working conditions,

as well as the critical necessity to react to rapid changes in the environment and the rapid adoption of new methods, in order to manage a challenging control system (Lawrence, 2013) The world we live in today is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) As a result, institutional structures and their methods arc constantly changing to account for the interactions between the four aforementioned aspects In a VUCA environment, people and organizations across all industries must adapt fast if they arc to survive and grow in a constantly shifting environment Pupils and students, in particular, in the sphere of education, need to be aware of this setting and acquire the abilities to adapt and advance their future jobs Most importantly, meeting the requirements of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and quality education (United Nations) Focusing on factors that promote students' employability will help address undesirable unemployment situations, which can impact the sustainable development of the country

(Schweitzer Ct al., 2023; Fantozzi Ct al., 2024)

Because of this, the writers’ topic of choice was “The 4C ’ s skills set and its impact on students ’ s future career adaptability': recommendations based on united nations ’ s sustainable development goal 4” to think about how certain 4C model skills relate to future career flexibility in the context of the VUCA era, which is dynamic and ever-changing.

- Propose solutions to help students hone and apply 4C skills in real life, especially in the journey of preparing for future careers

- Among these factors, what is the extent of influence of each factor? Which factors have a strong impact, and which ones have a negligible impact

on career adaptability of students?

- Does proactive personality and goal orientation impact students' ability to adapt to their future careers?

especially in the journey of preparing for future careers?

1.4 Subjects and scope of research

1.4.2 Research scope

- Spatial scope: Ho Chi Minh City Regional University This is an area where a large number of universities are concentrated with thousands of students with a high desire to study and develop

- Time scope: The survey data and statistics of this study were conducted

in October 2023

1.5 Research methods

(1) Qualitative research: Adjust and perfect the research model and build a questionnaire on the relationship between skills in the 4Cs skill set to future career adaptability The research was conducted through in- depth interviews with 15 students currently studying at universities in Ho Chi Minh City

(2) Quantitative research: Collect, analyze survey data and test the model

In quantitative research, we conducted a sample survey of 270 students in Ho Chi Minh City This age group, because they are young, has a certain interest in developing themselves in a positive direction Data collection entailed conducting a preliminary survey among students through a questionnaire on Google Form from June 2023 to January 2024, utilizing Likert scale assessment,

ranging from 1-5, with options such as “Strongly Disagree”, “Disagree”,

“Neutral”, “Agree”, and “Strongly Agree” The sampling method is non­probability After being filtered and mistakes removed, the research data was processed using SPSS tool

1.6 Topic structure

The research structure includes:

Chapter 1: Overview — Indicates the urgency of the topic, reasons for

choosing the topic, research objectives, objects and scope of research, research methods and structure of the topic

Chapter 2: Theoretical framework and research model — presenting concepts; theory of 4Cs skill sets; Presenting previous related research to have a basis for developing research models and proposing hypotheses

Chapter 3: Research method — Presents the research process, qualitative sampling method, qualitative research results, data processing tools and statistical analysis techniques used in the study rescue

Chapter 4: Results and discussion — Present and interpret the results of the official quantitative research, including the results of descriptive statistical analysis of the sample, reliability and validity testing (Cronbach Alpha ), EFA analysis, CFA analysis, structural model analysis and evaluation; results after data and model analysis

Chapter 5: Conclusions and recommendations — Presents the main results found through the research process, provides recommendations, theoretical and practical contributions as well as limitations of the research to guide future research

CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL OVERVIEW2.1 Main theoretical foundations

2.1.1 Concept of 4Cs skills model

Since the global economy is currently undergoing rapid transformation, students must have 21st century skills to be employable in this time of change One of the fundamental skills recommended by a group of experts in the New World of Work in the 21st Century is the 4C talents (L.w, 2007; Mulford, 2008)including abilities in communication, collaborative, critical thinking, and creativity In order to find opportunities for their future jobs, students must adjust to the fiercely competitive workplace of the 21st century (Zhou et al.,

2016), therefore they must have these skills (Roblek et al., 2016) 4C skills are skills with which students can survive and overcome the challenges of the 21st

century due to the 4.0 industrial revolution (Demir, 2020; Effendi Ct al., 2020;

Le et al., 2022) To belter understand their rigor, the following section is presented to elucidate the details of the 4Cs

2.I.1 Ỉ Critical thinking skills

The capacity to conduct a range of analyses, evaluations, judgments, hypotheses, and decisions that result in sensible and appropriate action is referred to as critical thinking ability (King Ct al, 2014) Students need to understand that it is essential for them to develop an approach to becoming skilled staff, able to adapt to new situations in the workplace (Forrester, 2008).Teachers play an important role in creating learning programs that focus more

on enhancing the capabilities of these talents (Zubaidah, 2019) Critical thinking, according to (ThS Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, 2016) believes that it plays a significant role in social life by assisting individuals in moving beyond their current thought patterns and habits, towards new things, free from prejudice, learning and discovering new ideas and values of the problem, creating a ready stale of mind to accept new things and advance in thinking and action, and consciously looking at each problem from a new angle, leading to new and

stimulating results.

The ability to produce (create) novel concepts and methods that deviate from the norm is referred to as creativity While leadership in the workplace and success in life are thought by studies to be driven by creativity, creativity is the most significant personality trait or component of human capital (Chew el al

2017) (Pchkonen, 1997) view creativity as a combination of logical thinking and divergent thinking based on intuition but still conscious (Silton, 2017) lists

a number of elements: motivation, personality, insight, and metacognition that affect a person's capacity for creative thought Due to the demand for human resources that can implement the most recent advancements, this inventive attitude is particularly prevalent in the working environment

2.1.1.4 Communication skills

Communication skills arc defined as the ability to transmit and receive information, feedback, ideas and feelings effectively and efficiently to others (Kumar et al, 2013) According to (Alfikalia and Maharani, 2009), at the university level, communication skills are crucial Verbal communication,

which uses a particular language and is most frequently a two-way process with comment on the message received Additionally, communication entails the sharing of information with the aim of achieving a particular objective (Zanaton Haji Iksan et al, 2012) Communication skills are the ability of an individual to convey a message or information to others so that they can understand it correctly and completely (Ganesh Das, 2023) An individual who can speak precisely and skillfully to suit the needs of the recipient is largely considered a successful speaker (Ganesh Das, 2023) Therefore, to effectively communicate his message and thoughts to the listener, a speaker must be able to employ words that arc composed in a variety of styles and approaches (Ganesh Das, 2023) In order to properly develop their communication skills and be successful in their job, college students should take advantage of the chance to take part in any activity that promotes communication skills development in a larger and more comprehensive way chosen profession (Ihmeidch, et al 2010),

2.1.2 Future career adaptability

The term career adaptability was first proposed by (Super and Knascl, 1981)

as a central construct in adult career development (Savickas, 1994) (Savickas,

1997) “The willingness to cope with the predictable tasks of preparing for and participating in a job role as well as with the unpredictable adjustments prompted by changes in work and working conditions" is how career adaptability is defined Moreover, "A tendency that influences how an individual views his or her ability to plan and adjust to career change plans especially in the face of unforeseen events" is how (Rottinghaus, Day, và Borgen, 2005) defines it When people are faced with employment options or challenges, career adaptability can assist them in enhancing their perception of their career competence and achieving better performance (Ohme and Zacher,

2015) and achieve job satisfaction (Fiori et al, 2015)

2.2 Related research

2.2.1 Overview table of research works related to the topic

The challenge of preparing and developing pupils with the abilities needed

to enter a highly competitive employment world is one that educators are becoming more and more conscious of Experts have already done a number of research to learn about the exceptional and required abilities to equip people for the future This is because they have a better understanding of how the changes

of the VUCA age are affecting this environment, hybrid Students make up the knowledge access system Education professionals are increasingly concerned about 4C competencies

Table 2.1: Overview of previous studies related to the topic'

DOMESTIC RESEARCH

1

EFL Teachers' Perceptions of

the Significance of “Four Cs”

and Their Suggestions to

Enhance “Four Cs” for High

School EFL Students in

Vietnam

Vuong ThHuyen Tran 2021

Perceiving The Importance

Of Job-Related Skills In The

4 th Industrial Revolution Era

From The Perspectives Of

Graduates And Employers

Certification, and Promotion

of 21st Century Skills for the

Future of Work and

management students during

the COVID-19 pandemic:

Focus on the role of language

communication competence

Islam &

Chadcc, 2023

- Communication

- Future's career adaptability

8 Social Creativity and

Entrepreneurial Intentions of

College Students: Mediated

by Career Adaptability and

The relationship between

career adaptability, person

and situation variables, and

career concerns in young

adult

Creed, Tracy Fallon,

Michelle Hood, 2009

two-wave mediation analysis

among Chinese university

The relationship between

employability skills and

career adaptability: a case of

undergraduate students of the

United Arab Emirates

Khalizani Khalid et al, 2021

- Critical thinking

- Creativity

- Future's career adaptability

Career adaptation: The

personality, and career

Translation and Validation

of the Protean and

goal orientation, proactive

personality, and career

optimism

Laramie R Tolentino et al 2013

Future orientation and

attitudes mediate career

adaptability and

decidedness

Maria Crist ini Ginevra et al 2016

- Future orientation

- Career Decidedness

- Future's career adaptability

- Attitude towards the future

2.2.2 Sunt maty of research gaps and proposed development directions

Synthesizing previous research on topics surrounding 4C skills, it can be seen that most of the research focuses on finding advanced solutions, effective and modem development strategies to promote 4C skills of students Researchers mainly apply a specific learning model to measure students' 4C skill acquisition, then compare the effectiveness of this model with another model Furthermore, previous studies only briefly mentioned the theoretical basis and importance of 4C skills in the field of education and student thinking development However, very few studies actually go into analyzing the impact

of this skill model on certain work outcomes (such as job search decisions) Although the 4C skills have received much attention as they gradually appear in recent research works, previous studies focused more on educational systems and educational methods In addition, research focuses on teachers to survey suitable teaching materials for developing the 4Cs skill set However, no research has put this skill model into perspective and self-awareness of students

to measure their level of continuity and development The 4C skills under the lens of previous researchers are often assessed and measured in typical high school subjects There are quite a few research articles expanding the perspective of evaluating the role of 4C skills for university students in accessing the working environment In terms of science, most previous studies often focused on applying qualitative methods through collecting information from focused assessment tests or single interviews, so the presented results will

be relevant Inaccurate and incomplete sections Therefore, with the application

of a mixed method along with new development directions for this skill model concept, the authors believe that this research topic will be different and somewhat innovative compared to previous studies, previous research Taking university students as the basis, the authors delve into the impact of the 4C skills model on future career adaptability

In particular, the research author set the perspective from the VUCA era -

an era of constant fluctuations and changes to have a more multi-dimensional view in assessment The new points in this topic will partly help students visually evaluate themselves, find missing skills to find themselves a solid foothold on the path of career choice

2.3 Preliminary theoretical research model

Based on the results of some previous studies on the 4C skills model such

as Vuong Thi Huyen Tran (2021), Miller, (2022), Suroto & Haniri (2017), Elvita Bellani et al (2022), Islam & Chadee (2023), Libing, Ting, Chun & Zhao (2022), Khalid Ct al (2021), the majority of soft skills have an impact on the structure of a career, and prominent in that structure is the ability to career adaptation In particular, the skills in the 4Cs skills model have been evaluated

as quite important in research studies when measuring career adaptation Observing that close connection, the authors will choose to measure the impact

of skills in the 4Cs skill set: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity on career adaptability in the future

Therefore, the preliminary theoretical research model includes 6 independent variables: critical thinking skills, creative skills, communication skills, and collaboration skills that impact the dependent variable: future career

adaptability.

Figure 2.1: Preliminary theoretical research model

2.4 Propose hypothesis

Making better decisions is made possible by critical thinking, which takes into account various viewpoints and assesses the reliability of information People who are critical thinkers embrace change and adjust to it quickly by nature Their capacity for critical thought enables them to pick up new skills, assess changing fashions, and adapt to changing situations with ease (King el al,

2014) The 21st century is a century of innovation, and people need a variety of skills to be able to adapt well Of these skills, critical thinking is thought to be the most important for people who want to adapt well in today's rapidly changing society (National Association of Colleges Employers, 2016) The following assertion is based on the theories mentioned above:

Hl: Critical thinking has a positive impact on future career adaptability

Along with intelligence, creativity is recognized as essential for a person's flexibility and adaptability in difficult circumstances (Sternberg, 1986)

According to (Libing Zhang et al, 2022), a key element in bridging social creativity and entrepreneurial intention and mediating their relationship is career adaptability Creativity has a significant impact on career adaptability, according to research by (Luca Fusco cl al, 2019) Since creativity can be used

to create innovation, education in the twenty-first century must develop strategies for teaching and learning it to students (Putra et al, 2019) In the technological age we live in, creativity is crucial (Henriksen et al, 2016),

(Samani et al, 2019) Anyone who wants to create something useful must be creative (May et al, 2020) The cognitive processes that lead to creativity are those that evolve over lime and can be strengthened through training (Runco,2016) Therefore, the hypothesis is proposed:

H2: Creativity has a positive impact on future career adaptability.

Developing career adaptability is a key component of successful career preparation in adolescence (Savickas, 1997) Problem solving and collaboration have a significant positive relationship with career adaptability, according to research by (Suhermi Sofia Ali Mohd Nazir et al, 2022) Additionally, students develop social, communication, and management skills through group projects that can help them succeed in the workplace (Mendo-Lazaro et al, 2018).Additionally, one of the most important hiring criteria for new graduates is the ability to work well in a team to meet the demands of the workplace (Archer &

Davison, 2008) Students of science are aware of the value of collaboration in their future careers (Wilson, Ho, & Brookes, 2018) As it is claimed to be important in assisting people in adapting to changes and improving career opportunities in the workplace, collaboration skills arc said to have a positive correlation with career adaptability (Rasul et al, 2010) The research author suggests the following based on the justifications in the aforementioned studies:

H3: Collaboration has a positive impact on future career adaptability.

Communication skills arc advantageous to both employees and organizations, according to numerous studies (Morreale s p & Pearson, 2008),(Conrad D, 2011) On the academic front, numerous studies indicate that students' successful careers are significantly shaped by their communication skills (Agarwal s, 2009), (NACE, 2001) Despite the fact that communication seems to be a crucial employability skill, expertise acquired through study rarely meets employer expectations (Jackson, 2014) (Pan et al, 2018) contend that communication abilities increase

people's capacity for career adaptation According to (Suroto, 2017), good communication and presentation skills can aid vocational students in developing successful careers, such as quickly finding employment, pursuing further education, and launching a business A person who is seeking employment must have the confidence and ability to market himself topotcntial employers (Suroto,

2017) As a result, graduates of vocational education should have strong communication skills One of the general skills that graduates of vocational education must possess in order to succeed at work is communication skills

(Wahyuni et al, 2018) The following hypotheses can be derived from the studies mentioned above:

H4: Communication has a positive impact on future career adaptability

CHAPTERS: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Formal research using quantitative methods is done through answering online survey questionnaires and sending a questionnaire via Google Form to assess the scale and test the theoretical model of the topic

3.1 Research process

The research process was carried out in accordance with a methodical sequence The author group commenced the process of identifying the research problem and formulated precise research objectives to assess customers' perceptions of career adaptability The author utilized qualitative research methods to modify the model and measurement scales This is achieved by conducting personal interviews with students to explore their experiences in developing skills and the difficulties and challenges in equipping those skills during their studies, and look forward to future work

Afterwards, the author combined and refined the material provided by these students to strengthen the research topics Subsequently, the model, measurement scales, and hypotheses were validated using quantitative approaches Finally, the authoring author compared the outcomes of the current study with those of others, drew implications for the research, and put forth recommendations

Figure 3.1: Research Process

3.2 Qualitative research

3.2 Ỉ Qualitative sampling

Qualitative research is an extremely important first step in the research process For the reason that, through analyzing secondary data sources and reviewing previous research, the author will think and refine ideas that are consistent with the original data source and thereby conjecture a research model, specific research However, such conjecture is bound to be difficult and error- prone Therefore, the group continued to conduct qualitative research through hand-to-hand discussions with 15 students studying in Ho Chi Minh City using

an exploratory open-ended questionnaire to collect opinions and consider issues What factors are students most interested in when talking about future careers?

At the same time, evaluate their level of interest and self-assessment with each factor From there, the author has a basis to make adjustments to the research model and research hypotheses to be more appropriate and determine the direction of the upcoming quantitative survey questions

In this research article, the authors conducted hand-to-hand discussions with 15 students from different majors to delve deeper into many different perspectives The content of the interview responses is summarized in Appendix

I : Qualitative questions.

3.2.2 Hand-to-hand discussion

The authors searched and asked open-ended questions to prompt respondents to answer around the research objectives Below are the 07 main questions in the qualitative research question set and the answers of 15 respondents:

Question Ĩ: At the current stage, as a student, what do you think is your

top concern?

Most respondents answered that the top concern is preparing to hone professional knowledge and practice the necessary skills to accumulate experience for future jobs Many respondents responded that they wanted to improve their English foundation to better serve their profession In addition, 3rd and 4th year students are also interested in completing the required output standards to graduate

In general, the answers are oriented towards the future with a stable job Most respondents arc self-aware of their own strcngths/wcakncsscs and arc always proactive in finding ways to overcome their remaining problems From there, they all aim for a solid career foundation, helping them compete in a harsh job environment

Question 2: During the process of studying in the University environment, are you facing any difficulties?

In addition to difficulties related to learning such as not being able to keep

up with specialized knowledge at this stage, most of the respondents' difficulties revolve around the lack of soft skills to adapt to difficulties in the process, study that For example, lack of planning skills to organize work; collaboration skills

to harmonize members in achieving common goals; communication skills to convey and express opinions; Problem solving skills to adapt to new changes,

Question 3: What did you do to overcome difficulties during that process?

When recognizing difficulties, most respondents are self-aware of their own

shortcomings and always actively seek ways to overcome them Interviewed students responded that they participated in many practical activities/experiences to overcome those difficulties Such as participating in competitions at school, joining clubs/teams/groups or taking part-time jobs/intcrnships Many respondents also answered that they would actively participate in small activities in class to train themselves, such as being the leader of a study group, contributing ideas in each group discussion and with the lecturer in the class.

Question 4: What specific factors/skills do you think help you pursue a job in that industry?

Respondents with different fields and majors will have different specific factors in their work In general, the common points compiled from all professions focus on common skills in addition to professional knowledge such as: communication skills, leadership skills, teamwork skills, problem solving skills , time management skills, financial management skills, creative skills and persuasion skills

Question 5: In addition to the knowledge learned in class, what do you

think you need to equip yourself with for future work?

English foundation and necessary soft skills are the respondents' priorities

in preparing for future work

Question 6: What do you think about the importance of improving soft

skills to prepare for future jobs?

With the difficulties that most respondents encounter, improving their skills will help them adapt to obstacles, thereby growing and developing more Respondents in their senior years are more interested in improving their skills to attract employers, stand out in the competitive job environment later, and thereby find the job they desire

In general, all respondents are especially interested in and want to improve

their soft skills to easily adapt to difficulties and constant changes in study, work and life.

Question 7: How do you evaluate the level of soft skills you mentioned?

What skills do you think are most important for students to adapt to future

jobs?

Most respondents lack at least one soft skill Critical thinking skills account for the majority because students do not have practical activities to experience and develop The remaining soft skills depend on each respondent and have different levels of difference

However, when asked about the most important skills for students to adapt

to future work, the important general skills summarized arc: communication skills, collaboration skills, creative skills , critical thinking skills and problem solving skills

Question 8: With the continuous change and development of the times, do

you think the current job you pursue win change in the future? (request a

more difficult job or change your interest in a job outside the field)

When respondents look to the future, they are aware of the continuous change in occupations accompanied by rapid elimination This harshness is the reason why respondents always proactively try and improve to adapt and succeed In addition, most respondents do not think about changing jobs to another major but will find ways to pursue innovative requirements in their own profession The remaining small portion (mostly in years 1 and 2) are not very interested in their future jobs, but still proactively cultivate themselves so that in the future, even if they cannot do the job they want, they still have enough experience to Be flexible with that change

3.2.3 Summary of qualitative research results and proposed official research mode!

Qualitative research results (hand-to-hand discussion) show that a number

of skill factors are assessed by the majority of respondents as having an impact

on the ability to adapt to future careers: critical thinking skills, communication skills, creativity skills, collaboration skills.

In addition to the internal factors including the skills mentioned above, the authors found that through the answers of 15 respondents, they were all aware

of their own shortcomings to proactively find ways to overcome them

Proactive personality is a prominent factor in most answers because they are always proactive in developing to adapt to the future learning and work environment At the same time, when asked about their current concerns, all 15 respondents self-assessed their short-term and long-term goals for the future Not only that, they also believe that planning and^ơữ/ orientation are necessary

to make the graduation and job search process easier

Therefore, in addition to the elements of the 4Cs skills model, the authors have added external factors such as proactive personality and goal orientation

to overall assess which factors have the most impact and which have the least impact, whether or not it affects the career adaptability of university students in

Ho Chi Minh City

Based on a theoretical basis, a theoretical research model combined with qualitative research, the official research model includes 6 independent variables and 1 dependent variable Of these, 4 variables remained unchanged, 2 variables were added to make the research results more comprehensive and multidimensional Details are presented in the table 3.1 below

3,2.4 Official research models

Table 3.1: Summary of factors in the research model

3 Communication skill Communication skill Constant

4 Collaboration skill Collaboration skill Constant

Figure 3.2: Official research model

3.2.5 Additional variables

Initial, (Ames, 1992a), (Dweck, 1986) and (Nicholls, 1984) goal orientation

is a situational orientation to action in an achieving task, according to definition Goal orientation explains motivational behavior; in other words, goal orientation makes motivational activity visible (Fuat Findikoglu, Mehmet Gurol,

2021) Besides, according to (Anderman & Machr, 1994), goal orientation

determines why and how people strive to achieve various goals (Avi Kaplan & Martin L Maehr, 2007) These orientations are seen as embracing individuals' experiences in circumstances, resulting in patterns of thought, emotion, and action (Ames, 1992a; Elliott & Dweck, 1988)

The term "proactive personality" refers to an individual's efforts and positive behavior to effectively alter the existing situation, discover opportunities, overcome challenges and hurdles, and achieve goals while influencing their external environment (Seibert et al, 1999) According to

(Bateman and Crant, 1993; Campbell, 2000; Crant, 1996; Grant, 2000; Greenglass, 2002; Miao and Shih, 2013), Proactive people rarely feel bound by restrictions and frequently have the power to alter the situation Such people also approach stress head-on and see crises as opportunities for growth (Chia-

Huei Hsiao, Fong-Jia Wang, 2020) When employees change their work environment, they will proactively adjust their work expectations and resources

to meet their own abilities and needs (Tims et al, 2014) Furthermore, proactive personalities can modify their circumstances rather than being influenced and molded by them due to the interactive component of personality traits (Liguori

et al, 2013)

3.2.6 Additional hypothesis

Goal-oriented people are more likely to adopt adaptive behaviors to hone their skills, such as raising their standards, striving to achieve them, and being open to criticism sincere desire to grow through difficulties.‘Tn summary, the adaptive motivational model inherent in learning goal orientation facilitates the generation of self-regulatory strategies necessary for career adaptation because

it promotes the establishment of establishing, maintaining, and achieving challenging and personally valuable achievement goals" (Dweck, 1986)

According to research by (Creed Ct al, 2011), individuals who have a learning goal orientation actively seek out challenging situations to advance their skills

According to numerous studies (Tolentino et al, 2014), learning goal orientation has a positive relationship with both career adaptability and career development Self-regulatory techniques that enable successful career adaptation are promoted when people with academic goals are given special attention for their accomplishments and efforts Improved self-study abilities, career goals, self­efficacy in making career decisions, and career well-being in the context of career advancement are all related to higher levels of learning goal orientation (Creed et al, 2011) The following theory is put forth in light of the theories previously mentioned:

H5: Goal orientation has a positive impact on future career adaptability

People that are proactive welcome new work challenges and learning opportunities because they are self-starters and have a greater desire to accomplish both personal and professional objectives According to (Platania,2023) proactive personalities are more likely to adjust to changing and difficult circumstances in the workplace, which may result in higher career adaptability On the basis of this perception, we think that people who are proactive in their job path will have more confidence to actively better themselves through learning, which will result in growth and progress in their career (Khalid et al., 2023) Proactive people tend to recognize opportunities for improvement and create jobs that meet their career needs, so they can anticipate and successfully negotiate career-related changes when they are required to do

so (Baleman and Crant, 1993) Proactive people are more likely to recognize possibilities for growth and create employment that fit their career needs, which helps them plan for and successfully manage career-related changes when they are presented with the need for career adaptation The research author suggests the following to establish consistency with the research articles mentioned above:

H6: Proactive personality has a positive impact on future career adaptability

3.3 Quantitative research

3.3.1 Quantitative sampling

Crowd identification: Students aged 18-22 living and studying in Ho Chi Minh City In addition, this is an active age, likes to experience and has the ability to engage with activities that require high soft skills In addition, this is the age that is in the process of accumulating knowledge and preparation to access future careers

Sample identification: Ho Chi Minh City has about 600,000 students

(estimated for 2021) (vnexpress.net, 2021)

Sample size identification: The research sample size is based on

Tabachnick’s formula N > 50 + 8p, with p being the number of independent variables (Nguyen Dinh Tho, 2011) The model has 6 independent variables so the minimum sample size is 98 samples The authors want to have 250 samples

so that the processing results are more meaningful Therefore, to achieve the above sample size, the authors sent questionnaires from messaging platforms online and directly to students in Ho Chi Minh City and received 270 valid samples Thus, the final sample size used for processing is 270 samples

Sampling method: This study uses a convenience sampling method This

is a non-probability method The author group approached the research object using a convenient method This method is often used in limited time and cost conditions and is easy to access research subjects However, this method cannot determine sampling errors

Sample approach: Using a created Google Form and inviting respondents

to participate in an online survey because of the convenience of the method, and also through a direct survey of students in Ho Chi Minh City

3.3.2 Data analysis method

Once collected, data was cleaned, coded, and entered for use in data analysis through SPSS software version 27 The analysis steps were conducted

as follows:

- Statistics describe data;

- Testing the reliability of the scales (Cronbach's Alpha);;

- Exploratory factor analysis EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis)

- Multivariate regression analysis

3.4 Develop official quantitative research scales and questionnaires

The scales proposed in the study are referenced from the original scales of domestic and foreign studies In addition, the scales used in the research were adjusted in terms of wording during the implementation of the qualitative method to suit the context of the study on the career adaptability of students in

Ho Chi Minh City

fable 3.2: Scales proposed in the research

Symbol Adjustable measurement variable Authors

1 Critical thinking (CT)

CTl I can give reasonable opinion and ideas to

solve complicated problems I Wayan Rcdhana, Ida

Bagus Nyoman Sudria, 2020

CT2 I can give objective evidence against a

particular problem

CT3 [ can estimate objectively advantages and

disadvantages of a particular phenomena

CT4 When I solve or judge a problem, I organize a

collection of data systematically

CR2 1 always want to find creative learning methods to

make learning easier

Siegle, 2013

CR3 Creative thinking is necessary for growth in any

field of career

CR4 I feel like work becomes more automatic and easier

when I’m creative

CR5 I can always come up with new ideas

CL2 I clearly define my roles, tasks and responsibilities

during the collaboration process

CL3

I work smoothly, without confusion or clumsiness when handling work with other members or in front

of the whole group

CL4 I implement component skills that meet the

purposes and conditions of cooperative activities

CL5 When team members share opinions, it is easy for

me to understand the entire content in question

4 Communication (CM)

CMl I have the ability to express my views and

listen to the opinions of others

—

Muhammad Nawawi 2022

CM3 I can present fluently and clearly

CM4 I don’t get restless when I listen to others

present their ideas and share their views

Jan Froehlich, 2016

CM5 I can communicate effectively with people

from different cultural groups

5 Goal orientation (GO)

GOl For difficult things, I will practice

continuously until 1 master them

Madden& Jabusch.2021

GO2 It is very important for me to continue to

improve and practice the skills I lack so that Ican get the job I want

GO3 1 practice so I can achieve the goals I have set

GO4 When I fail to complete a difficult task, I plan

to try harder next lime

GO5 I worry that I may not learn all I can in a

subject in class

6 Proactive personality (PP)

PPI I am constantly looking for new ways to

improve my life

Baleman & Crant, 1993

PP2 I'm always looking for better ways to do things

PP3 I am very good at turning problems into

opportunities

PP4 I often use my own judgment and

understanding to assess risks, thereby promptly providing improvised solutions

PP5 I visualize my dreams and try to determine what

I need to be successful

5 Future career adaptability' (FCA)

FC Al I observe different ways of getting things done Rogacz, 2020

FCA2 I am confident that can complete assigned tasks

effectively

FCA3 1 am confident that I can learn new skills in

addition to the skills I have already mastered

FCA4 I believe that can solve problems encountered

in the future work environment well

FCA5 I receive feedback from people around me aboil

things I haven’t done well, and then come Uf

with solutions

CHAPTER 4: OFFICIAL QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

RESULTS4.1 Sample description

4 LI Survey sampling statistics

To collect the data, the team decided to use the Google Forms tool, create the form, and send it to the survey subjects This process is done online The author handed out 307 questionnaires and received 281 answer sheets However, through screening, only 270 responses were valid, with N = 270 still meeting the minimum number of observed variables requirement to perform an analysis

of the data collected by the team

After collecting and classifying the data, the authors encoded and used those data as inputs for further analysis using SPSS software The statistical results are presented in table 4.1 as follows:

Table 4.1: Statistical results describing the sample in the formal study

Source: Statistics from the author team

Service Social - Journalism 22 8.1%

4 1.2 Characteristics of the survey sample

About gender, 124 male and 146 female responded to the survey, with male outnumbering female but not by a large margin (men: 45.9%, women: 54.1%) Gender differences can be tolerated because everyone must learn and enhance their knowledge and abilities on the route to personal development

About the school year, There are four groups included in the author's descriptive statistics based on the level standards of university education, including the first year group, which accounts for 10.7%; the second year group, which accounts for 45.9%; the third year group, which accounts for 32.6%; and finally, the fourth year group, which accounts for 10.7%

About residence, The majority of survey participants (93%) presently reside and work in Ho Chi Minh City, however 7% also originate from other regions

About University: The majority of survey participants are currently enrolled in Ho Chi Minh City School of Economics (54.1%), another majority come from many other schools (accounting for 45.9%)

About Major: when surveying about majors, more than half of the survey answers said that they are students of business and economics majors (accounting for 56.7%), followed by Law-Humanities-Language-Education

majors, (accounting for 13.7%), IT-Engineering (13.3%), Service-Social- Journalism (8.1%) and Construction Industry-Transportation (6.7%) In addition,

a very small number come from other industries (1.5%)

4.2 Analyze and process formal research results

4.2.1 Statistic description

Table 4.2: Statistic description table

The average or average number of most variables is in the range of 3-5

Which means that all respondents are neutral, agree or strongly agree with the items of the independent variable

The standard deviation of all variables is less than 1 This proves that the degree of dispersion of answers compared to the average value is not too large The responses had a significant degree of concentration of opinion