Bridging the divide: employer–graduate gaps in non-technical skills and implications for training in emerging economy public sectors

Purpose The evolving nature of office administration requires employees who possess strong non-technical skills (NTS), yet employers frequently report that new graduates are inadequately prepared. This study aims to examine employer–graduate perception gaps regarding core NTS and explores how these gaps can inform workforce training and development in the Indonesian public sector context, with implications for similar emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted with final-year office administration students (n = 68) and industry partners from public organisations (n = 41) collaborating with a large Indonesian university. Using a validated NTS scale, respondents rated the importance of four skill categories: interactive skills, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking skills and continuous learning orientation. Independent-samples t-tests, effect sizes and robustness checks (Welch tests, bootstrapping, Mann–Whitney U tests) were used. Findings Significant differences emerged across all four NTS categories. Employers consistently rated every skill area as more important than students did. The largest gap was found in problem-solving skills [Welch’s t (72.92) = 3.16, p = 0.002, d = 0.62], followed by interactive skills (d = 0.56), continuous learning orientation (d = 0.53) and analytical thinking (d = 0.45). All four gaps were statistically significant and reflected medium or small-to-medium effect sizes. Continuous learning orientation received the highest mean ratings from both groups. These results indicate that employers perceive a more urgent need for higher-order cognitive and adaptive capabilities than students currently recognise. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to Central Java’s public sector and a single time point, constraining generalisability across regions and sectors; the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Future research should employ longitudinal designs tracking graduates into employment, replicate the study across diverse sectors (private, non-governmental organization) and geographical contexts and conduct intervention studies experimentally testing training programmes to establish causal evidence on closing skill gaps. However, the dyadic approach used here is methodologically robust and provides a foundation for comparative research across emerging economies facing similar workforce development challenges. Practical implications The findings provide a basis for training needs analysis in office administration roles. Organisations can use the identified gaps to prioritise training investments in problem-solving, analytical thinking and continuous learning. Specific recommendations include: scenario-based problem-solving workshops using real administrative cases from government agencies; structured mentoring and peer-buddy systems for new hires; cross-functional secondments to develop analytical exposure; and formal collaboration frameworks between government employers and universities to co-design internship outcomes aligned with identified NTS gaps. Social implications Addressing non-technical skill gaps has broader societal benefits beyond individual career success. In emerging economies undergoing rapid transformation, public sector effectiveness directly impacts citizen welfare and service quality. By helping graduates develop critical problem-solving and adaptive capabilities, this research contributes to building a more competent public workforce capable of navigating complexity and serving communities effectively. The findings also support educational quality: when universities align curricula with workplace demands, graduates from diverse backgrounds gain fairer access to meaningful employment, reducing skills-based barriers to social mobility and contributing to more inclusive economic development. Originality/value This study offers rare dyadic evidence from an emerging economy and contributes theoretically by demonstrating how perception gap analysis can integrate Human Capital Theory, Social Cognitive Theory and established employability and career-development frameworks to explain skill development challenges. Using matched data from students and employer representatives in government agencies, it reframes non-technical skill gaps not only as a curriculum issue but as a strategic workforce development challenge with direct implications for graduate employability and labour market outcomes, providing concrete, evidence-based directions for human resources and training professionals in the office administration domain and across similar emerging economy contexts. The research demonstrates how systematic perception gap analysis can inform human capital development strategies aligned with economic competitiveness and public sector reform priorities.