Accounting Education and Labor Market Needs

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the appropriateness of educational outputs in the Saudi public universities for the labor market from the point of view of graduates from the specialization of accounting and finance by investigating the following axes (Motivation in specialization identification, teaching staff in universities, the appropriateness of the study plan for the labor market, and the extent of knowledge of professional tests) and its impact on the quality of educational outputs. The study adopted the inductive method trough reviewing the previous studies regarding the research subject. On the field study, the study used the questionnaire as the study tool. On the statistical side, the following statistical analyzes were conducted (frequencies, percentages, arithmetic means and standard deviations), as well as Pearson correlation coefficients to determine the relationships between the variables of the study. The study population consisted of all graduates from the accounting and finance departments of the Saudi public universities working in the public sector or the private sector or self-employed " entrepreneurial". The field study was carried out in 2018 and the number of participants was (125) graduates from Saudi public universities and (80%) of the participants were under the age of (30) years. This is an excellent percentage as the study focused more on graduates. The study concluded the approval of the sample on each of the following: (the specialization identification was their personal desire, the teaching staff at the university is characterized by knowledge and eruditeness, the quality of study plans in universities and their knowledge of the study plan and its requirements, quality of educational outputs). It also concluded that the most prominent obstacles for graduates in the professional tests was the high financial fees of professional tests. In addition to there was no relationship between the specialization identification and the quality of educational outputs, while there was a relationship between (the efficiency of the teaching staff, the study plan, and the professional tests) and the quality of the educational outputs.