Assessing LIS graduates’ ICT skills and job market needs in the Punjab, Pakistan

• Main Authors: Muhammad Younus, Muhammad Sajjad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of the Punjab, Department of Information Management 2020-01-01
• Series: Pakistan Journal of Information Management & Libraries
• Subjects: ict skills; lis graduates; lis schools; lis market; punjab; pakistan
• Online Access: http://journals.pu.edu.pk/journals/index.php/pjiml/article/view/1437

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></strong></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></strong></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Abstract </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 200%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">This article aims to explore ICT skills of LIS graduates in the Punjab, Pakistan. It also indentifies the ICT skills needed by information market for absorption of LIS graduates. A mixed methods research design was employed to collect data from LIS graduates and heads of leading libraries in the Punjab through the questionnaire and semi-structured interviews respectively. The findings suggest that LIS graduates possess theoretical knowledge and basic skills of ICT. The majority of graduating students have an intermediate level of ICT skills. Their current ICT skills are not adequate to meet the job market needs. A number of ICT skills that LIS graduates need to possess for employability have been identified.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>Deficiencies in LIS curricula, the lack of practical training, the paucity of faculty teaching ICT courses and meager ICT facilities are the major factors that hinder the development of students&rsquo; ICT skills. The outcomes of the present research will help LIS schools in the Punjab to redesign their curricula by incorporating necessary contents in ICT courses and equip students with ICT skills in accordance with needs of the job market.</span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><h1 style="margin: 12pt 0cm 3pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Keywords</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 200%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">ICT skills; LIS graduates; LIS schools; LIS market; Punjab; Pakistan<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>