Alignment of Workforce Competencies of Marketing Management Graduates in the Philippines: Evidence for Academia and Industry

Abstract

This study examined the alignment of workforce competencies of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing Management graduates of North Eastern Mindanao State University, Philippines, with the competencies used in their current employment. Using a quantitative descriptive tracer-study design, data were obtained through a structured survey from 151 traced graduates from the 2022-2024 cohorts, drawn from 172 target graduates. The study described graduates' socio-demographic profile, workforce status, job level, income category, professional eligibility, and the usefulness and workplace application of generic, specific, and marketing-related competencies. Results showed that most respondents were female, single, and within the 25-27 age bracket, while most had no professional eligibility. The majority were employed in the private sector, but many remained in rank-and-file or clerical positions and lower income bands. Competency ratings indicated strong perceived usefulness and application of generic skills and marketing-related skills, particularly market research, communication, brand management, team collaboration, and human relations. However, lower ratings were observed in technical areas such as web development, bookkeeping, digital marketing, and data interpretation. Chi-square results showed that eligibility was significantly associated with employment status and job level/promotion, while age was significantly associated with job level/promotion. Correlation results further indicated that generic skills were significantly related to employment status, while marketing-related skills were significantly related to job level/promotion. The findings suggest that the marketing curriculum provides a strong foundation in transferable and core marketing competencies, but requires further strengthening in digital marketing, analytics, web-based tools, and applied technical skills. The study offers evidence for curriculum enhancement, career development programming, professional certification support, and stronger academia-industry collaboration in marketing education.