Implication of 21st Century Skill Sets on Career Adaptability: Emirati Undergraduate Perspective of the Connections

Abstract

Currently, there is a mismatch between the knowledge and skills supplied by the education sector and those demanded by the Emirati labor market. Hence, the government initiative aims to reduce this skill gap by launching education reforms that ensure the supply of employees with the right qualifications to meet the private sector’s changing demands. This study examines investigates the relationship between the 21st century employability skills of Emirati undergraduates and career adaptability. It was hypothesized that employability skills of complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, and coordinating with others relate positively to career adaptability. A survey was conducted among 420 students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The findings of the study showed that career adaptability is positively related to the employability skills of complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, and coordinating with others. This study is a preliminary step toward clarifying the complex mechanism through which career adaptability relates to career outcomes and sustaining employability. Concentrating into the context of undergraduates in the United Arab Emirates, this study enlightens the understudied relationship between employability skills and career adaptability and calls for more research that employs boundary conditions that might limit their effects on adapting behaviors. Consistent with career construction theory, this study presents evidence of the instrumental role of skills required for the 21st century in managing career resources and subjective career success. Understanding the relationship between the 21st century skills and career adaptability offers valuable insights for academia and policymakers on formulating strategies and action plans to continually update the transferable skills of Emirati students. It is also crucial for long-term success in human capital sustainability under the Emiratization policy .