INTEGRATING CAREER COMPETENCIES INTO GENERAL EDUCATION: A STUDY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CAREER PREPAREDNESS

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of integrating career competencies into general education curricula on university students' career preparedness. Drawing on the Career Competencies Questionnaire (CCQ) framework, we surveyed 400 undergraduates from a large public university to measure perceived General Education Integration (GEI), six career-competency subscales (reflection on motivation, reflection on qualities, networking, self-profiling, work exploration, career control), and Career Preparedness (CP). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and structural equation modelling (SEM), we tested hypotheses concerning the direct and mediated effects of GEI and career competencies on CP. Results confirmed strong measurement properties and high internal consistency. The analysis revealed that GEI is a significant positive predictor of CP (β = 0.47, p < .001). Among the career competencies, networking and career control demonstrated the strongest associations with preparedness. Furthermore, SEM supported a partial mediation model, indicating that GEI influences CP both directly and indirectly through the development of career competencies (indirect effect = 0.14, p = .002). The findings provide empirical evidence that intentionally embedding career-competency objectives into general education can significantly enhance students' employability outcomes, bridging the gap between academic learning and professional readiness.