Is Career Development Learning Alone Sufficient to Enhance Graduate Employability in Asia? The Role of Self-Efficacy and Language Proficiency

S.K. Dilashni Serilharan (Universiti Malaya)
Husaina Banu Kenayathulla (Universiti Malaya)
Muhammad Faizal Bin A. Ghani (Universiti Malaya)

Episteme: Jurnal Kajian Mahasiswa
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Episteme: Jurnal Kajian Mahasiswa

This study examines the impact of Career Development Learning (CDL) on students’ Self-Perceived Employability (SPE), with Self-Efficacy (SE) as a mediator and English Language Proficiency (ELP) as a moderator. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 446 final-year undergraduate students at Malaysian private higher education institutions and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that CDL significantly enhances both self-efficacy and employability perceptions. Self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between CDL and SPE, suggesting that career development experiences improve employability primarily by strengthening students’ confidence in applying their competencies. Furthermore, ELP positively moderates the relationship between self-efficacy and SPE, indicating that stronger English proficiency enhances the translation of confidence into employability perceptions. These findings highlight the importance of integrating career development initiatives with interventions that strengthen students’ self-efficacy and English communication skills to improve graduate employability in multilingual higher education contexts.