Extra curricular activities : the perception of graduates of how student engagement affects career development : a quantitative study

Abstract

This study questioned a number of local graduates on their perception towards the benefits reaped through participation in extra curricular activities. The focus was on employability skills and career development. The skills under study included communication skills, leadership skills, time management skills, creativity skills and self-promotion skills. The statements presented in the questionnaire focused on the possession of the aforementioned skills, the development of the mentioned skills through participation, together with the perception of skills related to career development with regards to recruitment and career progression. By means of a questionnaire posted online through social media websites, 150 respondents participated and expressed their beliefs through agreeing or disagreeing with the statements presented before them. The level of significance for the tests run was of 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval was used. Results show significant differences in the gender sample groups, but the majority of the significant differences observed between the sample groups were between the groups with different hours of participation in extra curricular activities. Graduates claimed that leadership benefited most from involvement in extra curricular activities. Communicaiton and selfpromotional skills benefited moderately. Unlike other employment skills, the time management skills of students hardly benefited, if at all from participation in extra curricular activities.