INFLUENCING FACTORS OF EMPLOYABILITY AMONG STUDENTS IN HIGH-LEVEL UNIVERSITIES IN GUANGDONG: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS BASED ON THE USEM MODEL

With the continuous advancement of China’s Double First-Class initiative, high-level universities in Guangdong have been playing an increasingly prominent role in promoting regional economic development and cultivating high-level talent. Employability has become a key indicator for evaluating the quality of talent training in higher education and a critical issue in the development of high-level universities. Based on the USEM model, this study examines the influence mechanism of four dimensions, namely understanding, skills, self-efficacy, and metacognition, on university students’ employability by constructing a structural equation model. Data were collected through 361 valid questionnaires from students in Guangdong and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for hypothesis testing and path analysis. The results show that skills and self-efficacy have a significant direct positive impact on employability. Although understanding and metacognition do not exhibit a direct significant effect on employability, they exert important indirect influences through the mediating role of skills. The model demonstrates a good fit, supporting the applicability of the USEM model in this research context. This study not only expands the empirical application of employability theory in the context of higher education but also provides a basis and practical recommendations for high-level universities in Guangdong to optimize talent training models, enhance skill development and self-efficacy, and improve employability support systems.