EFFECT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCIES ON CAREER CHOICE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technologies into academic, professional, and social domains has transformed the skill requirements of modern careers. The current study employed a quantitative correlational survey design. The primary objective of the study was to explore the impact of digital competencies on the career choices of undergraduate students, probing how students’ proficiency in digital skills affects their career aspirations, decision-making processes, and readiness for emerging job markets. The sample of the study consisted of 300 undergraduate students selected from universities in Lahore through a simple random sampling technique. The digital competencies and career choice tools were used to collect data from students to explore the phenomenon. The digital competencies tool comprises five dimensions: information literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, and problem solving with twenty seven-items, and the career choice tool contained four dimensions: ease of subject, interest in subject, future job opportunities, and financial outcomes with twenty three-items. The content validity of the instruments was ensured with five educational experts. The reliability of digital competencies and career choice was calculated by applying Cronbach's Alpha scores of .940 and .927, respectively. The calculated data were analyzed employing means, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis techniques to explore the phenomenon. The findings of the study showed a moderate relation between digital competencies and career choice. Moreover, the findings showed a positive and significant consequence of digital competencies on the career choice of undergraduate students. The study concluded that strengthening digital skills within higher education helps in career decisions to meet the demands of the digital economy. On the basis of the results of the study, it was recommended that policymakers, educational leaders, and faculty personnel play their role in the curriculum enhancement, career counseling, and institutional support to align digital competencies and career choice of undergraduate students.