Multiple intelligence in employability among Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka management graduates

Abstract

In this study, graduates multiple intelligences profile are the main interest in order to enhance the opportunities of the management graduates for employability. In order to measure and classify the multiple intelligences of graduate, Two Step Cluster Analysis is applied. The cluster is based on their demographic background and Howard Gardner’s nine intelligences which are musical, spatial/visual, verbal/linguistic, mathematics/logical, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist and spiritual. A psychometric test which is Ability Test in Employment (ATIEm) has been used as the instrument to measure the level of nine intelligence types of management graduates for job placement purposes. This study was conducted at Faculty of Technology Management and Technopreneurship (FPTT), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). Therefore, 137 surveys were answered and these were considered to be legitimate data. The results represent the dominant intelligence of graduates which majority of the respondents obtains high score in spiritual n=37(27%), followed by mathematical/logical n=24 (17.5%) and interpersonal n=23 (16.7%). In addition, another result also shows high score for each level of intelligences which majority of graduate has high level in interpersonal skills n=130 (94.8%). The mediocre level n=41 (29.92%) and weak/none level n=10 (7.3%) are both in musical skills. The analysis from the Two Step Cluster presents four main clusters. The composition of clusters formed significant variables for Cluster 1: n=49 (35.8%) Malays, Islam, Musical and Verbal. Cluster 2: n=56(40.9%) Musical, Spatial and Verbal, Cluster 3: n=11(8%) Malays (Islam), Non Malays (Buddhism), Musical, Kinaesthetic, Spatial, Verbal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist and Spiritual. Cluster 4: n=21 (15.3%) Non Malays and intelligences are insignificant variable. Based on the Two Step Cluster analysis, a competency model which is Competency Model is constructed namely Cognitive Intelligences Cluster (Cluster 1), Social Intelligences Cluster (Cluster 2) and Foundation Intelligences Cluster (Cluster 3). Cluster 1 and 2 are likely to be employed because of the combination different of ability, the probability of graduate to be employed is enhanced and they are likely to assume higher position at the workplace.