CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction
Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities,
because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be
translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.
-John F. Kennedy
The ideal career combines the dream of what a person wants to be with the
reality of finding and working at a job that leads to that aim. Picking a career is the most
important decision the average student makes. It should involve a self-critical analysis:
Where does my talent lie, How can I sharpen it, and what is the reality of earning and
using it?
Acquiring knowledge is one of the most important matters on earth by finding it
inside and outside the school. One of us believed that the primary sources of knowledge
are the school.
Due to the fact that the January 2010 estimated figures from national NSO
showed the Philippines employment rate at 92.7%, unemployment rate at 7.3% and
under employment 19.7%. The employment rate of Tourism industry base on NSO data
was/where. The figures are dependent on the kind of opportunities the new graduates
have in relation to their fields and the staying power depends on their skills.

The employment opportunities for tourism graduates may also be a vast how
communication interfaces with other disciplines. The giving un-in-depth studying of the

output of Abe Cubao and Legarda tourism courses taker will justify that the industry has
a very close relationship for the economic development.

However, despite rapid growth in the past years, tourism higher education still
faces challenges particularly in Cubao and Legarda. In this study, the researches will
attempt to point out difficulties and submitted recommendations.

Here are some points of issues to be tackled in the study: are they job currently
in-line in the tourism industry? ;Are their job applicable on what theyve learned for the
past four (4) years of studying at the college? How effective is the curriculum and their
practicum for the continuing employment status of the tourism graduates of ABE Cubao
and Legarda S.Y. 2009-2010? Did they use their academic learning for the growth of
our tourism industry? What specific job are they in after the graduation?
These questions are some of the reasons to motivate the researches on tracing
those tourism graduates for the economically continuing growth of our society. Both
tourism graduates and the school will be the beneficiary of this study. For the tourism
graduates, they will determine if what specific job should they in. For the school, they
want to remember all those person who have been part of their society, that's why they
want to know if the students from their school has a capability to compete their
knowledge or skills to everyone and they want to know more about the students who
are already graduated.

This graduate tracer is a system that even they are far from the schools, the
schools can communicate with the graduate students and to know more about their
experiences and their careers after they finished their studies. It determines and
assesses the effectiveness and the relevance of BSTM curricula, knowledge, skills and
work values acquired by the graduates to their employment; identify the personal and
professional characteristics and job placement of Tourism graduates and the school
related factors associated with their employment. The findings of the study served as
the basis of the researcher to improve, update or enhance the curricula of BSTM
program to make this more responsive to the needs of fast changing technology
and employment demands.

Background of the Study

ABE International Business College was established in 1999 in response
to the growing demands for a world- class yet affordable business education experience
in the Philippines. It is a vital part of the AMA Education System, Asias first and largest
information technology-based educational institution.

The ABE International Business College is the premier business and

management learning institution in the Philippines. It is the best hub for cultivating

leadership education in the country, and is continuously working for the progressive
improvement of the students learning experience by investing on state-of-the-art
facilities and skillful educators. Aside from business courses, ABE is also known for its
great hotel and restaurant management and tourism programs.
This college is deeply anchored in the principles and vision implemented by the
ABE in London in providing quality British management education. Just like its British
counterpart, the ABE International Business College pursues the same global vision of
providing a holistic, quality education. It also features international accreditation and
flexible payment schemes.

The ABE International Business College aims to produce not only leaders in the
business world, but also techno entrepreneur professionals. These individuals are
taught and trained to be responsive to the needs of the global community and to be
strategic thinkers. The school also has a progressive curricula recognized by institutions
and organizations worldwide.

Just like other business schools, ABE teaches the basic theories of business and
commerce, but its approach is unique and modern, for it uses information technology
and telecommunication tools. The school embraces digital culture in the same way that
it treasures traditional teaching and learning methods. ABE students are expected to be
self- reliant and innovative in their way of applying business ideals and principles. ABE
International Business College also trains its students to be prepared for the current and
forthcoming trends in the world.

Currently, ABE is enjoying a strong and solid reputation because of the success
of its competitive graduates in both the local and international business scenes. ABE
even has an international OJT program which gives its participants priceless first- hand
experience in working in the global business world.

Today, ABE is practically the only school which has been made into business
academic programs focusing on the current changes that are happening in our society.
ABE has made a contribution to the students in pursuing their chosen fields of interests
to reaching professional destinations.

Right now, ABE is gaining a strong position and a solid reputation among top
employers both local and international. Thus, with ABE OJT program abroad plus the
opportunity to earn while learning, there is no way for ABE graduates cannot compete
and be accepted in those jobs and opportunities here and abroad.

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management is one of the courses offered by the

ABE International Business College, Cubao Campus. It is a four-year collegiate degree
program offered to individuals who are interested in making a career in the area of
travel and tour industry. The course aims to develop students who will become qualified
personnel, administrators and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry.

This study tracer of ABE tourism graduates of Cubao and Legarda S.Y. 20092010 is guided to give relevant feedback about their careers after graduating, to
reconnect graduates to their alma mater and also to determine the employment status
of the respondents.

Tracer study is the follow up of graduates of higher education or institutes. Its aim
is to evaluate ones progress up to the time he or she gets a job. This study assesses
the availability and quality of graduates.

Theoretical Framework

The classical theory assumed the prevalence of full employment. The Great
Depression of 1929 to 1934, engulfing the entire world in widespread unemployment,
low output and low national income, for about five years, upset the classical
theorists. This gives rise to Keynesian theory of employment. The two broad features of
classical theory of employment were:

(a)

The assumption of full employment of labour and other productive resources, and

(b) The flexibility of prices and wages to bring about the full employment.

The researchers also adapted the general systems theory by Edward Deming
(J.Horine, 1993) to support this study. The theory generally states that the success in
any system requires more than best efforts and hard work from the administrators. The
most serious observation is that majority of problems to Deming; roughly, 95% of

problems belong to the system and the responsibility of the management while the
workers are just trying to do the best job that they can deliver within the constraints of
the system.

The theory explains that a system is a series of functions or activities sub

process (stages-hereafter components) within an organization that work together for its
aim. People, materials, methods and equipments are the components that form a
network in support of common characteristics: purpose, input, process and output (J.
Horine, 1993) Purpose determines the thrust and direction of a system input, on the
other hand, is characterized as the primary element that motivates an action of a
system. Meanwhile, processes are the sequences of work stages that transform inputs
to outputs and output is what the system produces.

Conceptual Framework

INPUT

*General Profile of the

graduates in terms of the
following:
a. Demographic
b. Educational
c. Employment
d. Initial or First Job after
Graduation
e. Career plans of the
Respondents

PROCESS

*Distribution
of Questionnaires
a. In-person distribution
b. E-mail questionnaires
c. Facebook messaging
d. Telephone Interview
*Statistical Treatment of
Data
*Interpretation and
Analysis

Feedback
Figure 1: the Paradigm of the Study

OUTPUT

*The Employment
Status of the ABE
International Business
College tourism
graduates Batch 20092010 branch of Cubao
and Legarda.

The figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study using the IPO (InputProcess-Model) Model.
The INPUT consist the general profile of the graduates. First, the demographic
profile which includes the civil status, gender and their present location. Second is the
educational profile which also includes Degree/s and Specialization, Professional
Examination Passed, Reason/s for taking Bachelors Degree and Post-Graduates
Studies Attended after College. Third, The Employment Profile which includes the
following variables: Present Employment Status, Nature of Industry, Place/Area of
Work, The First Job after College, Length of time stayed in their First Job, Length of
time before they land on their First Job after College, Reason/s for staying in their First
Job, Relevance of the Curriculum in to their Jobs and Present Job Positions.
The PROCESS consists of the data-gathering tool to distribute the
Questionnaires to the Respondents which includes In-person distribution, Email Questionnaires, Facebook Messaging, and Telephone Interview. After the
distribution of the questionnaires is the Statistical Treatment of Data and is the
Interpretation of Data.
For the OUTPUT, The Employment Status of the ABE International Business
College Tourism Graduates Batch 2009-2010 branch of Cubao and Legarda.

Statement of the Problem

In this study, the researchers will try to find out if the graduates of ABE
International Business College tourism graduates Batch 2009-2010 are successful with
their chosen careers.

General Objectives:
1. What is the General profile of the respondents in terms of the following?
1.1 Civil Status
1.2

Gender

1.3

Present Location

2. What is the educational attainment of the respondents in terms of the

following?
2.1

Educational Attainment

2.2

Professional

2.3

Professional Examinations Taken

2.4

Reason/s for taking Bachelors Degree

2.5

Post Graduate Studies Attended after College

2.6

Trainings Attended after College

3. What is the Employment Profile of the Respondents Status in terms of the

following?
3.1 Employed

3.2 Present Occupation

3.3 Name of the Company
3.4 Nature of Industry
3.5 Place/Area of work
3.6 Unemployed
3.7 Reason/s for not (yet) employed

4. What was the first job of the respondents in terms of the following?
4.1First job after college
4.2 The time span stayed in the first job
4.3 Tools in finding the first job
4.4 The interval of time landing in their first job after college
4.5 First job relation in their course
4.6 The relevant of the curriculum to the job
4.7 Reason/s for changing job

Hypothesis of the Study

Significance of the study

The researchers will provide knowledge about the tourism graduates

employability during the Academic Year 2009-2010. The study was deemed significant
for it benefits the following sectors and groups of persons:
To the Researchers, this study will help us to fulfill our requirements for the
degree Bachelor of Science in tourism. It will be also a stepping stone for us future
graduates.
To the students, this will serves as their guide for their future employment. In
reading our study, it will help them to enhance their skills, knowledge, creativity and
appearance to be qualified for their wanted job.
To the School, through this study, this will lead to the school management to be
aware of the needs of the students that will benefit them for the future.
To the future researchers, this will help and serves as their reference for their
study.
To the parents of researchers, this will serve as their guide in encouraging and
motivating their college children to be serious in whatever field they have chosen and
they should also look at their children's long term educational career with great
affirmation that at the end of the 4 year journey in college they will end up to have a
good job.
And lastly, this tracer study will provide adequate information about the former
students.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This tracer study was focused on determining the General profile and Employment
profile of the ABE International Business College tourism graduates of batch 2009-2010
of Cubao and Legarda only. It deals with the Present Employment Status of the
Respondents. The researchers will try to identify the different chosen field of
respondents and to know if their careers right now are still in line with their courses
taken.
The researchers limit of the study with regards to the participants compliance to the
researchers.

Definitions of Terms
Definition of Knowledge

Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something, which can

include facts, information, descriptions, or skills acquired
through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical
understanding of a subject.
Definition of Curriculum