Quality Assessment of Market Needs for Architecture and Building Science Graduates: Case of King Saud University

DOI: 10.5176/2301-394X_ACE17.113

Authors: Hikmat Ali and Shouib Mabdeh

Abstract:

Market survey for architectural graduates is a tracking procedure that was developed to support ongoing monitoring of a graduate market conditions in KSA. There are an increasing number of KSU architectural graduates who absorbed by local market which witnessed significant changes in the employee’s requirements to satisfy the recent developments in the architecture and construction sector. Many of these changes pose important challenges for improving learning and teaching outcomes of college of architecture. One major target of College of Architecture and Urban Planning is to study, analyze and investigate the market requirements of its graduate. One major aim of the college is to prepare students for successful careers. Numerous strategies are built into educational programs to provide students with meaningful exposure to the career environment. The purpose of the survey is to examine the market needs. It will focus on the strategies of recruitments, employer’s needs and skill requirements. Another target is to evaluate the performance of our graduates on their job, either private or governmental job. The study adopted between/within factorial design to investigate the attributes and quality of Architectural KSU graduates. Structured questionnaire was prepared with cooperation of college representative. This instrument was tackling the mission, vision and objective of the college. In addition, it investigated the strengths and weakness of the body of knowledge, techniques and abilities offered in our curricula. Major outcomes of the study indicated that the quality of graduates in the market, were fulfilling the market needs and requirements. However, the results show above average indicators for most factors presented in the study. To achieve perfection and extra improvements of the quality, there is an urgent need to review and restructure some courses

Keywords: Architecture Graduates; Accreditations; Market Needs; Saudi Arabia