Architecture graduate work readiness: The gap between learning and employability.

The study investigates and compares the experience and expectation of employers and graduates on architecture graduate work readiness in relation to employability skills using a quantitative method. A total of 141 graduates and 85 employers completed a set of survey measuring the same variables but from different perspectives. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS v 25. Study findings show that perception of employers and graduates are similar on the architectural course and how it trains the graduates for practice. However there is a small gap in the perception graduates work readiness; architectural course curriculum, and graduates' practical skills. The results revealed that the graduates confidence level in their work readiness is moderate (M = 3.42., SD = 0.843), concurring with the employers who reported that graduate are not entirely ready (M = 3.62., SD = 0.648). However, the employers' score employability skills is lower than the graduates' score, especially in areas such as knowledge of Uniform Building By-Law (UBBL) requirements and sustainable approaches (RK) (M=3.29, SD=0.881) and CTS (M = 3.41, SD=0.837). Thus, the study suggests opportunities in current learning in architectural course to be transformed using "work based learning" to enhance the graduates employability skills.