Employability, Career Outcomes, and Academic Preparation of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management Graduates: A Tracer Study of a Local College in Olongapo City, 2020 and 2022–2025

Jenny Mae Lagman; Lizette Ann Sia; Mychale Williams; Leandro Dasig

doi:10.55927/fjmr.v5i8.139

Authors

Jenny Mae Lagman Gordon College
Lizette Ann Sia Gordon College
Mychale Williams Gordon College
Leandro Dasig Gordon College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v5i8.139

Keywords:

Tracer Study, Tourism Graduates, Employment, Higher Education, Gordon College

Abstract

This study investigated the employability and career outcomes of graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) from a local college in Olongapo City, spanning cohorts from 2020 and 2022–2025, through a graduate tracer study. Its objectives encompassed assessing graduates’ employment status, career profiles, the relevance of their education, and the usefulness of the competencies acquired in college to inform curriculum enhancement and institutional quality improvement. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed, utilizing a modified CHED Graduate Tracer Study questionnaire administered to all 350 traced graduates. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that the majority of graduates were employed in tourism-related occupations and regarded their college education as highly pertinent to their professional roles. The results provide evidence to support curriculum development, industry partnerships, and initiatives aimed at improving graduate employability.

References

Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. Columbia University Press.

Commission on Higher Education. (2017). CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012: Policy-standard to enhance quality assurance in Philippine higher education through an outcomes-based and typology-based QA. https://ched.gov.ph

Commission on Higher Education. (2020). Graduate tracer study manual. Commission on Higher Education.

Harvey, L. (2001). Defining and measuring employability. Quality in Higher Education, 7(2), 97–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538320120059990

Magboo-Campo, M. P. (2025). Employability pathways among tourism management graduates: A tracer study. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/employability-pathways-among-tourism-management-graduates-a-tracer-study/

Melchor, R. A., et al. (2025). Graduate employability and career pathways: A tracer study of hospitality and tourism management graduates in the Philippines (2015–2021). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396602758

Republic of the Philippines. (2012). Republic Act No. 10173: Data Privacy Act of 2012. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2012/08/15/republic-act-no-10173/

Schomburg, H. (2003). Handbook for graduate tracer studies. Centre for Research on Higher Education and Work, University of Kassel.

Sarsale, M. R., et al. (2024). Graduate employability and career readiness among tourism graduates. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 15(1), 1–18.

Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education + Training, 59(4), 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2019). Global report on tourism and jobs. UNWTO. https://www.unwto.org

Yorke, M. (2006). Employability in higher education: What it is–What it is not. Higher Education Academy.

Yorke, M., & Knight, P. T. (2006). Embedding employability into the curriculum. Higher Education Academy.

Yorke, M., & Harvey, L. (2005). Graduate attributes and their development. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2005(128), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.162

Zhang, Y., & Xie, H. (2023). Graduate employability and higher education quality assurance: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 13(9), 901. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090901