Perception of Micro Enterprises Employers towards demonstrated Employability Skills and Attitudes of On-The-Job-Training Business Students

To ensure their graduates are prepared and employable, the significance of developing skills suitability and attitude among students should be considered vital. This paper determined the expected employability skills and attitudes of on-the-job-training/intern students. The descriptive method of research was used in this study. The researcher distributed survey questionnaires to a total of 50 micro enterprise employers were surveyed around Nueva Ecija which are composed of mostly restaurant-type businesses. Based from the data gathered and calculated results of expected skills, it can be implied that the on-the-job-training/intern students totally demonstrated the skills categorized as lifelong learning and understanding professional, social and ethical responsibilities. On the contrary, the on-the-job-training/intern students totally undemonstrated the skills categorized as business system approach. Summing up, the on-the-job-training/intern students demonstrated the expected employability skills. Further, the data gathered and calculated results of expected attitudes implied that the on-the-job-training/intern students totally demonstrated the attitudes categorized as motivated and cooperation. Meanwhile, the on-the-jobtraining/intern students totally undemonstrated the attitude categorized as commercial awareness/awareness of the industry. Summing up, the on-the-job-training/intern students demonstrated the expected employability attitudes. Keywords— On-the-job-training, Expected Skills and Attitude, Business Students, Intern Students,


INTRODUCTION
To ensure their graduates are prepared and employable, the significance of developing skills suitability and attitude among students should be considered vital. Chiu et al. (2016) stated that a deliberate strategy of professional training programs would prepare students for quality young jobs, which could bring economic benefits to the nation. Wye and Lim (2009) concluded that graduates must have the right work values and find their first job after graduation as a means to gain useful experience, used as a forum to secure future jobs. Singh and Singh (2008) further stated that employability skills are common in nature rather than jobspecific, and are spread across all sectors, companies, from the entry-level worker to the most senior position Selvadurai et al. (2012) concluded that measures to improve transferable skills are not exclusively the responsibility of the tertiary education system, but the company must play a greater role in delivering on -the-job instruction.
In view of the foregoing insights, the researcher would like to assess the employability perception of micro enterprises employers towards the demonstrated skills and attitudes of on-the-job-training business students.

II.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Lowden (2011) concluded that employers expect students from their degrees to have the academic and disciplinary skills, but allow graduates to show a variety of wider skills and attributes that include coordination, collaboration, leadership, critical thinking, problem solving, and often managerial or future abilities. Likewise, Zaharim et al. (2009) concluded that graduates must develop the skills and attitudes required to be ready to work globally upon graduation. Buenviaje et al. (2015) recommended that the college head be able to continually compare with other business schools for program enhancement and linkages on international business graduates access may also be discussed.

III. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study determined and described the expected employability skills and attitudes of on-the-jobtraining/intern students.

IV.
METHODOLOGY The descriptive method of research was used in this study because it involves description, recording, analysis and interpretation of condition that really exists. It is appropriate to use descriptive method in gathering information about the present existing condition (Creswell, 2014). A total of 50 micro enterprise employers were surveyed around Nueva Ecija which are composed of mostly restaurant-type businesses. The researcher distributed survey questionnaires which adapted Likert-scale type responses (Vagias, 2006) and analyzed it through statistical data treatment such as mean and weighted mean. problem-solving and decision making skills the ability to undertake problem identification, apply problem solving , formulation and solutions.

Undemonstrated
Apply knowledge of business principles the ability to acquire and apply knowledge of business fundamentals.

Demonstrated
Competent in specific business discipline the ability to acquire in-depth technical competence in a specific business discipline.

Demonstrated
Understand professional , social and ethical responsibilities the ability to understand the social , cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of a professional businessman, and commitment to professional and ethical responsibilities.

Totally Demonstrated
Lifelong learning the ability to recognize the need to undertake life-long learning, and possessing / acquiring the capacity to do so. students has the lack of ability to utilize a systems approach to design and evaluate operational performance as employers rated it as totally undemonstrated with the weighted mean of 1.65.  Table 2 presents the Expected Employability Attitudes of the On-the-job-training students. Based from the results, it can be derived that the OJT/intern student is able to network: being able to form relationships and get to know people as employers rated it as totally demonstrated with the weighted mean of 3.44. While, it was noted that the OJT/intern student lacks wider knowledge of business and wider implications of how knowledge and is shaping the market and knowing where the company sits in a particular industry as employers rated it as totally undemonstrated with the weighted mean of 1.71.

VI.
CONCLUSIONS Based from the data gathered and calculated results of expected skills, it can be implied that the on-the-jobtraining/intern students totally demonstrated the skills categorized as lifelong learning and understanding professional, social and ethical responsibilities. On the contrary, the on-the-job-training/intern students totally undemonstrated the skills categorized as business system approach. Summing up, the on-the-job-training/intern students demonstrated the expected employability skills. Further, the data gathered and calculated results of expected attitudes implied that the on-the-job-training/intern students totally demonstrated the attitudes categorized as motivated and cooperation. Meanwhile, the on-the-job-training/intern students totally undemonstrated the attitude categorized as commercial awareness/awareness of the industry. Summing up, the on-the-job-training/intern students demonstrated the expected employability attitudes.