MOTIVATION AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF AIRLINE BUSINESS GRADUATES: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY

Authors

  • Juan Rodrigo Del Villar Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Vissarut Udomdet Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Jessada Dechmak Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Panatda Supaporn Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Amarjeet Singh Mastana Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Saran Kumar Sekar Udon Thani Rajabhat University
  • Pranav Milind Thakre Udon Thani Rajabhat University

Keywords:

self-efficacy, motivation, employability skills, mediation, self-efficacy, motivation, employability skills, mediation, aviation education

Abstract

This study investigated whether self-efficacy mediates the relationship between motivation and employability skills among graduates in the airline business. Using a causal-correlational, non-experimental design, survey data were collected from 110 graduates, with sample size determined through G*Power analysis to ensure sufficient statistical power. Analyses employed Pearson correlation, multiple regression, t-test/ANOVA, and path analysis. The study revealed very strong positive correlation among motivation and employability skills (r(108) =.875, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that both motivation (β = 0.310, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.480, p < 0.001) significantly predicted employability skills, jointly accounting for 58% of the variance. Mediation analysis further showed that self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between motivation and employability, suggesting that motivated students develop employability skills both directly and in directly through increased confidence in their abilities. Employability was higher among females and recent cohorts, while motivation was stronger in recent cohorts. The finding ssuggest that self efficacy is a key mechanism linking motivation to employability, underscoring the importance of authentic practice and structured feedback in enhancing graduates’ job readiness. The study recommends strengthening authentic practice through simulations and internships, integrating structured feedback mechanisms, and embedding self-efficacy–enhancing strategies into the curriculum to foster confidence, career readiness, and long-term employability among graduates

References

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2),179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

Ashraf, M. (2007). Academic self-efficacy scale. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.1.3930.2640

Ashraf,M. A.,Sahar, N.,Kamran,M., & Alam, J. (2023). Impactofself-efficacyand perfectionism on academic procrastination among university students in Pakistan. Behavioral Sciences, 13(7), 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13070537

Bargmann, C., Thiele, L., & Kauffeld, S. (2021). Motivation matters: Predicting students’ career decidednessand intentionto drop outafter the first year inhighereducation. Higher Education, 83(4), 845–861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00707-6

CAE. (2025). Aviation talent forecast 2025–2034 [PDF]. https://www.cae.com/content/docs/Civil_Aviation/atf2025/2025_CAE_Aviation_Talent_Forecast.pdf

Cho, H. J., & Park, S. J. (2025). The effect of aviation service major college students’ career valuesonself-efficacyand job preparation behavior.Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics, 33(1), 16-30. https://doi.org/10.12985/ksaa.2025.33.1.016

Chrysogelos, N., Bakun, L., Nguyen, A., Baerson, D., Lu, C.-T., & Gao, Y. (2025). Bridging the gap: Evaluating skill alignment between collegiate aviation management programs and industry needs. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 43(1),36–64. https://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/CARI/article/view/10106

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203771587

Dershem, L. (2016). Employability assessment tool. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.1.1601.4960

Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2009). How to design and evaluate research in education (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Frankenstein, A. N., Udeogu, O. J., McCurdy, M. P., Sklenar, A. M., & Leshikar, E. D. (2022). Exploring the relationship between retrieval practice, self-efficacy, and memory.

Memory & Cognition, 50(6),1299–1318.https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-022-01324-z

Garcia, C. M., Sarsale, M. S., & Uy, I. M. (2024). Dimensions of program relevance towards employment success: Evidence from a graduate tracer study using principal component analysis. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 15(1), 205–224. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1446401.pdf

González, M., Dibona, P., Soto-Flores, B., Rojas-Puelles, A., Amato, M., Álvarez-Trigo, D., & Castillo, R. (2025). Academic performance, self-reported motivation, and affect in higher education: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1519454. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1519454

Guo, B., Qiang, B., Zhou, J., Yang, X., Qiu, X., Qiao, Z., & Cao, D. (2021). The relationship between achievement motivation and job performance among Chinese physicians: A conditional process analysis. BioMed Research International, 2021(1), 6646980. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6646980

Herzberg, F., Mausner, B. and Snyderman, B. (1959). The Motivation to Work. 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Howard, J. L., Bureau, J. S., Guay, F., Chong, J., & Ryan, R. M. (2021). Student motivation and associated outcomes: A meta-analysis from self-determination theory. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(6), 1300–1323. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620966789

International Air Transport Association. (2024). The value of air transport to Thailand (Country report). https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economicreports/the-value-of-air-transport-to-thailand/

Kamberi, M. (2025). The types of intrinsic motivation as predictors of academic achievement: The mediating role of deep learning strategy. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2025.2482482

Kotera, Y., Conway, E., & Green, P. (2020). Construction and factorial validation of a short version of the Academic Motivation Scale (SAMS). British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 51(2), 274–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2021.1903387

Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1994.1027

Li, X., Pu, R., & Phakdeephirot, N. (2022). The influence of achievement motivation on college students’ employability: A chain mediation analysis of self-efficacy and academic performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 972910. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.972910

Martini, S., Khan, W. A., & Muttaqiyathun, A. (2023). The influence of training, motivation, and self-efficacy on career planning. Jurnal Genesis Indonesia, 2(02), 54–73. https://doi.org/10.56741/jgi.v2i02.153

Mohammad, A. (2020). Understanding motivations, employability skills, employment aspiration, and training of hospitality management undergraduates. Tourism Review International, 24(4), 185–199. https://doi.org/10.3727/154427220X15971786398810

Mulyana, A.,Suyitno,S., & Miranti, M. G. (2025).Theeffectof self-efficacyand employability skills on graduates’ absorption capacity through alumni work readiness as a moderator variable. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(8), 3715–3728. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v4i8.351

Noor, S., Tajik, O., & Golzar, J. (2022). Simple random sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies, 1(2), 78–82.

Obias, D.E., Cosain, A.,Paredes,K.R., Quicho, J., & Rapal, A. (2025).Self-efficacy, academic motivation, and career aspiration among selected general academic strand students from private senior high schools in Imus City. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 34(3),370–374.https://doi.org/10.70838/pemj.340306

Omar, M. K., Muhamad, W. M. W., Ismail, N., Zakaria, A., & Kadir, K. M. (2023). Employability skills and career development self-efficacy as indicators for workforce success. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.30880/ jtet.2023.15.03.011

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2020). OECD employment outlook 2020: Worker security and the COVID-19 crisis. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/1686c758-en

Römgens, I., Scoupe, R., & Beausaert, S. (2019). Unraveling the concept of employability: Bringing together research on employability in higher education and the workplace. Studies in Higher Education, 45(12), 2588–2603. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1623770

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68

Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) [Database record]. APA PsycTests. https://doi.org/10.1037/t00393-000

Sharma, G., & Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. (2022). Life purpose as a predictor of resilience and persistence in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 26(2), 334–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251221076828

Tushar, H., & Sooraksa, N. (2023). Global employability skills in the 21st century workplace: A semi-systematic literature review. Heliyon, 9(11), e21023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. heliyon.2023.e21023

Wang, D., Guo, D., Song, C., Hao, L., & Qiao, Z. (2022). General self-efficacy and employability among financially underprivileged Chinese college students: The mediating role of achievement motivation and career aspirations. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 719771. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719771

Yengkopiong, J. P. (2025). The way forward for secondary school students: The role of self-determination theory and intrinsic motivation. East African Journal of Education Studies, 8(1), 288–299. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.8.1.2643

Yiu, C. Y., Ng, K. K. H., Yu, S. C. M., & Yu, C. W. (2022). Sustaining aviation workforce after the pandemic: Evidence from Hong Kong aviation students toward skills, specialised training, and career prospects through a mixed-method approach. Transport Policy, 125, 88–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2022.09.020

Zhang, Y.-C., Zhang, Y., Xiong, X.-L., Liu, J.-B., & Zhai, R.-B. (2022). An empirical study on the improvement of college students’ employability based on university factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 793492. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.793492

Zhou, D., Peng, Z., & Zhou, H. (2023). The influence of career decision-making self-efficacy on employability of higher vocational students: Mediated by emotional intelligence. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1274430. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1274430

Downloads

Published

2025-12-29

How to Cite

Del Villar, J. R., Udomdet, V. ., Dechmak, J. ., Supaporn, P. ., Mastana, A. S. ., Sekar, S. K. . ., & Thakre , P. M. . (2025). MOTIVATION AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF AIRLINE BUSINESS GRADUATES: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY. Academic Journal Phranakhon Rajabhat University, 16(2), 186–207. retrieved from https://so01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/AJPU/article/view/283767

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2568): July - December 2025

Section

บทความวิจัย (Research Article)

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Academic Journal Phranakhon Rajabhat University

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

"บทความวิชาการในวารสารฉบับนี้ ถือเป็นความรับผิดชอบของผู้เขียนเท่านั้น"

สงวนลิขสิทธิ์ตามพระราชบัญญัติลิขสิทธิ์