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Background A major workforce inadequacy and the change in skill demanded have been observed due to the digital transformation. This study aims to identify the digital skills demanded by employers, focusing on exploring the skills gaps among the graduates that impact graduate employability. Methods A cross sectional online survey was conducted among the companies registered with the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC). Demand for digital skills was assessed using descriptive analysis of mean scores of the employers’ rating in digital skills at present and in future. A pair sample t-test was performed to explore the existence of skill gaps, by comparing the demand versus competencies of the graduates’ digital skills in the workplace. Results Of the 393 responses collected, 376 responses were used for final analysis. The findings show that the current top three digital skills in demand are “information and data literacy”, “problem-solving”, and “digital content creation”. Whereas the top digital skills for future demand are “problem-solving”, “safety”, and “communication and collaboration”. In addition, the most significant (digital) skill gap is found in “communication and collaboration skills” followed by “problem-solving” and “safety” skills. Conclusions These findings provide insights into the digital skills demanded by employers in IR 4.0, allowing the practitioners, education service providers and policymakers to do better planning on human capital management and training development. By focusing on identifying the current and future demand for digital skills while exploring the digital skill gaps among the graduates, this study provides insight into the employability skills required by the graduate before entering the job market.

Purpose – The present study explores a tricomponent attitude model for “forced” online learning applied in the post-Covid era following the online learning transition. The study aims to provide a reference for future practitioners in the event a similar crisis results in the mandatory transition towards this study mode again. Methodology – Following the guideline for judgmental sampling, a total of 156 valid responses were collected from Malaysian undergraduate students via an online questionnaire from Google Forms. The respondents’ profiles were computed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0, while Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to validate the measurement model, structural model, and mediation model for hypothesis testing. Findings – The findings demonstrate that perceived usefulness (PU) is insignificant when online learning is the only feasible learning strategy. Technical system quality (TSQ) was found to be positively related to perceived ease of use (PEU), attitude (ATT), and student satisfaction, while quality of content (QC) was found to be positively related to PEU and student satisfaction. The remaining hypotheses were rejected. These findings are expected to transform various student attitude, leading to the cognitive components of PEU and PU and ultimately contributing to student satisfaction. In line with the government’s desire to transform digital education in higher education, TSQ and QC constitute a framework for shaping the affective components of students’ attitude. Attitude, in turn, drives students’ PEU and PU, which are two critical factors of the Technology Acceptance Model that serve as the main determinants of student satisfaction. Significance – The study demonstrates that instructors can use a variety of strategies to increase student satisfaction with online education, which can be beneficial even in the post-Covid era. The findings can aid education providers in implementing necessary changes to improve online learning for their students in the future. In addition, the study reveals that through the pandemic, students have become more resilient and have begun to value online learning, highlighting the importance of considering the long-term effects of online learning on student satisfaction.

Background A major workforce inadequacy and the change in skill demanded have been observed due to the digital transformation. This study aims to identify the digital skills demanded by employers, focusing on exploring the skills gaps among the graduates that impact graduate employability. Methods A cross sectional online survey was conducted among the companies registered with the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC). Demand for digital skills was assessed using descriptive analysis of mean scores of the employers’ rating in digital skills at present and in future. A pair sample t-test was performed to explore the existence of skill gaps, by comparing the demand versus competencies of the graduates’ digital skills in the workplace. Results Of the 393 responses collected, 376 responses were used for final analysis. The findings show that the current top three digital skills in demand are “information and data literacy”, “problem-solving”, and “digital content creation”. Whereas the top digital skills for future demand are “problem-solving”, “safety”, and “communication and collaboration”. In addition, the most significant (digital) skill gap is found in “communication and collaboration skills” followed by “problem-solving” and “safety” skills. Conclusions These findings provide insights into the digital skills demanded by employers in IR 4.0, allowing the practitioners, education service providers and policymakers to do better planning on human capital management and training development. By focusing on identifying the current and future demand for digital skills while exploring the digital skill gaps among the graduates, this study provides insight into the employability skills required by the graduate before entering the job market.

The purpose of this study is to examine the consumer adoption of mobile augmented reality (AR) in the tourism industry in Malaysia. Drawing on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), interactivity, vividness, and information content factors are examined in relation to perceived usefulness (PU). and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Subsequently, both PU and PEOU are hypothesised towards customer engagement (CE), behavioural intention to use (BIU) and usage behaviour (UB). The study consists of 500 samples from consumers who have experienced the usage of mobile AR in the tourism industry in Malaysia. Using a quantitative approach, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed that interactivity, vividness, and information content have positive effects on the PU and PEOU. PU and PEOU have positive effects on the CE, BIU, and UB. In theoretical contributions, the study contributes to the extension of TAM by adding interactivity, vividness, and information content as antecedents to PU and PEOU. This research also validated CE as the new dimension for consumer behavioural engagement that affects BIU and UB in the extended TAM. In practical contributions, the findings will assist tourism providers in strategic marketing planning and formulation to enhance mobile AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]