Employability of the College of Education Graduates of the University of Baguio

It was the major purpose of this study to determine the employability of the College of Education graduates of the University of Baguio, taking into consideration their employment profile, their overall assessment of the relevance/responsiveness of their pre-service training in the UB College of Education, and the factors which they consider as most helpful in their employment/field of work.  This descriptive-survey study made use of a questionnaire-checklist as data-gathering tool.  The sample was composed of 130 College of Education graduates from 1964 to 2007, drawn through purposive sampling.  Only the graduates employed as teachers were included in the study.  Further delimitation was made to include only the COE alumni employed in Baguio City and La Trinidad.  The UB COE alumni manifest a high degree of employability, both in the public and private schools.  The COE graduates attest that their pre-service training in the UB College of Education is very much relevant/responsive with respect to their field of work.  Therefore, the UB COE teacher training program is comparative and at par with other noted academic programs in the country.  The COE alumni attribute the overall high level of relevance/responsiveness of their pre-service training program to three main factors: practicum program / student teaching program, competent teachers of the UB College of Education and relevant general education curriculum.  The UB-COE should continue to maintain and enhance its general education and practicum programs.  The faculty of the College of Education should continue to be models of efficiency and effectiveness along the trilogy of functions of higher education — instruction, research and extension — because they are the teachers/trainors of teachers.  A further continuing tracer/follow-up of UB-COE graduates is in place and a wider area should be covered.