A Study of Work Skills of Thai Students in the Digital Transformation Era

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Technology has played an integral role in facilitating work processes to achieve higher efficiency, transforming people’s ways of life, as well as their learning and working patterns. Thai students must develop the necessary skills to compete in the labor market and adapt to new technology and digital advancements, which have become significant aspects of the modern workplace. The objectives of this research were to 1) study and compare the measurement model of work skills among Thai students in the digital transformation era, categorized by the fields of study, and 2) examine students’ learning behavior and their level of demand for work skill development.

Methods: The study population and sample consisted of undergraduate students at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in their 3rd, 4th, and 5th years. The multistage random sampling method was employed to collect data from 822 individuals. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire, which was divided into two parts. The first part comprised general information questions. The second part consisted of an 87-item questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale to measure work skills. Work skills consisted of eight components with 28 indicators. The measurement instrument was checked for validity by using Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC), and reliability by using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the quality of the appropriate tool. The statistical analysis included confirmatory factor analysis and the measurement invariance test, which were conducted to examine the structural measurement model using Mplus 8.0. Additionally, descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were performed using SPSS.

Results: Firstly, the results showed that the measurement model of employability skills for Thai students in the era of digital transformation consisted of communication skill, management skill, learning skill, leadership skill, digital skill, adaptability, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Regarding the results of the second order confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the measurement model for fundamental work skills of students in the era of global digital was consistent with the empirical data, (Δχ²(252, N=822)=25.86, p=.00, RMSEA=0.04, SRMR=0.03, CFI=0.98) and the test of the invariance measurement model of work skills among Thai students in the digital transformation era across four disciplines—science and technology, engineering, education, and design and creativity—was conducted to examine the configural invariance of the indicators of work skills. Each field of study prioritized a different set of skills. It is obvious that the measurement model of work skills among Thai students in the Digital Transformation Era shows different constructs in different groups. The group that differed was the one focusing on design and creativity, which prioritized critical thinking differently from other groups, while those in systematicity and analyticity had factor loadings that were not statistically significant (Δχ²(2-1) = 39.99; df(2-1) = 23) . Secondly, the results regarding students’ learning behavior and their level of demand for work skill development in Thailand revealed that even though we are living in the digital transformation era, students 1) demand onsite and online learning together (68.51%), 2) prefer to learn independently and receive Learning by doing experience (51.14%), and 3) desire to develop practical skills blended into their courses (51.54%). In addition, the confidence level in having work skills increases with the frequency of self-development. In other words, the more regularly they develop themselves, the more confident they feel about their ability to improve. (F(24, 2347) = 1.73, p=0.02, Pillai's Trace = 0.50, partial η² = 0.02).

Application of this study: The research findings provide essential insights into the state of Thai work skills, enabling instructors to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in various skill areas. Moreover, this study aims to examine these skills by categorizing students based on their backgrounds, thereby generating in-depth data on which student groups excel in particular skills, which areas they struggle with, and how they should be further developed. The aforementioned information contributes to curriculum enhancement and instructional improvements, ensuring that students receive targeted development opportunities that align more precisely with educational object.

Conclusions: The measurement model of Thai work skills in the digital transformation era consists of communication skills, management skills, leadership skills, learning skills, digital skills, adaptability, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Each field of study prioritizes a different set of skills. The perception of possessing work skills increases with the frequency of self-development. Namely, the more regularly students engage in self-improvement, the more confident they feel in their ability to enhance their skills. This research findings can assist teachers and educational institutions in designing the courses that foster work skills development, aligning with the demands of the future labor market.