THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN MODERATING THE IMPACT OF SELF-EFFICACY AND SOFT SKILLS ON GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY

This study examines the effects of Self-Efficacy (SE) and Soft Skills (SS) on the employability of graduates from the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN), with Emotional Intelligence (EI) serving as a moderating variable.A total of 370 valid responses were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using SmartPLS.The findings reveal that both SE and SS have significant positive impacts on Graduate Employability (GE), with SS exerting the strongest influence.Furthermore, EI was reported to moderate the relationships between SE and GE, as well as SS and GE, though its moderating effect was not significant in all contexts.These results underscore the significance of SE and SS as key contributors to graduate readiness.Overall, the study recommends that universities prioritise the development of SE and SS within academic programmes, while maintaining a balanced approach to EI integration.Practical implications for educators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders are also discussed to enhance graduates' competitiveness in an evolving labour market.