title: Perceptions of Vocational Business Teachers, Employers, and Entry-Level Office Workers Regarding Employable Qualifications for Entry-Level Office Workers in Utah
Creators: name: Hoggatt, Jack
Publisher: name: Utah State University
Year: 1979

description: Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to compare perceptions of vocational business teachers, entry-level office workers, and employers regarding employable qualifications for entry-level office workers in Utah. Business teachers, entry-level office workers, and employers were asked the following questions:
1. What occupational skills are performed by entry-level office workers?
2. What level off education is needed for entry-level office workers?
3. What are the reasons for selecting entry-level office worker applicants?
4. What are the reasons for not selecting entry-level office worker applicants? ---
5. What are the areas in which improvement should be made in the preparation of entry-level office workers?
6. What are the causes for termination of entry-level office workers ?
7. What are the personal characteristics desired by employers for entry-level office workers?
8. What is the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities in school to the job success of entry-level office workers?
9. What is the relationship between participation in on-the-job training programs and the job success of entry-level office workers?
10. What types of methods are used in the selection of entry-level office workers?
11. What further training is conducted by employers after hiring an entry-level office worker?
Procedure
The data for this study consisted of information obtained by questionnaires from vocational business teachers, entry-level office workers, and employers of entry-level office workers. Eighty percent of the 95 teachers surveyed responded, while 72 percent of the 232 businesses surveyed responded to the questionnaire. The data were then analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, Scheffe analysis, descriptive analysis and Chi-square programs.
Principal Findings
There is a difference between the perceptions of vocational business teachers, entry-level office workers, and employers regarding employable qualifications for entry-level office workers in Utah. Teachers indicate a greater frequency and a greater importance for the skills than did employers or employees. However, they do agree on the most important skills and the least important skills . There was a discrepancy among the three groups regarding the skills which were ranked between most important and least important . Teachers gave more importance to skills such as shorthand, filing, and running duplicating machines, while employers and employees gave more emphasis to the skills which require some sort of decision making or human relations skill.
The three groups agreed that entry-level office workers need to complete high school before securing a job and that some college training was advisable. Personality was given as the primary reason for selecting entry-level office workers, while inability to communicate with employers was given as the primary reason for not hiring entry-level office workers. Once hired, making costly mistakes continuously was the reason given by the three groups for termination of entry-level office workers.
Teachers viewed the ability to follow suggestions and instructions, employers the concern for productivity, and employees the ability to write and speak effectively as the areas most in need of improvement for entry-level office workers. Interviewing was the most common method used by employers in selecting entry-level office workers.
Conclusion
A continual evaluation of business education programs should occur to keep business education programs current with the changing demands of today's business world.