The employment of graduates to raise an
organization’s intellectual capital is not a new phenomenon. But
it is clear that there is a less demand for graduates all over the
world. It is basically due to the miss-match between graduates’
competencies and employers’ expectations and also due to the
weak relationship between university and the business sector.
As a developing country under sever conflict situations in
political, social and cultural Sri Lanka is not exceptional
pertaining to this issue.
This paper attempts to investigate into the assessment of
private sector employers towards recruiting business graduates
in Sri Lanka. The study investigated 65 of private sector
business firms who are the possible employers of providing job
opportunities for potential employees in Sri Lanka.
Findings of the study showed that among the other state
university graduates but except engineers and doctors, business
graduates have more or less the necessary skills and qualities
needed to work in private sector work places. But those skills
and qualities are not up to the standard expected by the private
sector employers. Among those skills Sri Lankan business
graduates especially lack with ICT skills, English language
proficiency and the applicability of practical knowledge. Hence
the business graduates of Sri Lanka should improve the
essential skills, attitudes and qualities in order to create a good
demand for them in the available job market and to complete
with other professionally qualified personnel.