<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The emergence of online university degree programs is an opportunity for Chile, struggling with low tertiary education attainment rates and a skills gap in the labor market. However, little attention has been dedicated to whether the employers in Chile perceive online and on-campus university education as equivalent. This study investigated the perceptions of a convenient sample of 38 employers from different industries, using Likert scale questions and a hypothetical hiring scenario. The survey results were then consulted with three experts who provided their interpretations. The findings indicated that the investigated sample generally does not perceive online and on-campus university education as equivalent but would not discard an online degree graduate only due to their academic background. However, when given a choice between a 100% online, 100% on-campus, and a hybrid degree holder, none of them would choose a 100% online degree graduate. Instead, 57% would hire a hybrid degree graduate and 43% a 100% on-campus graduate. There is a significant, positive correlation between the perceived equivalence in rigor, learning experience, and learning content and the willingness to hire an online degree graduate. The university’s reputation is a crucial factor influencing hiring decisions in Chile. The degree’s relevance may be insignificant compared to other factors considered by the hiring managers.</p>
</abstract>

The emergence of online university degree programs is an opportunity for Chile, struggling with low tertiary education attainment rates and a skills gap in the labor market. However, little attention has been dedicated to whether the employers in Chile perceive online and on-campus university education as equivalent. This study investigated the perceptions of a convenient sample of 38 employers from different industries, using Likert scale questions and a hypothetical hiring scenario. The survey results were then consulted with three experts who provided their interpretations. The findings indicated that the investigated sample generally does not perceive online and on-campus university education as equivalent but would not discard an online degree graduate only due to their academic background. However, when given a choice between a 100% online, 100% on-campus, and a hybrid degree holder, none of them would choose a 100% online degree graduate. Instead, 57% would hire a hybrid degree graduate and 43% a 100% on-campus graduate. There is a significant, positive correlation between the perceived equivalence in rigor, learning experience, and learning content and the willingness to hire an online degree graduate. The university’s reputation is a crucial factor influencing hiring decisions in Chile. The degree’s relevance may be insignificant compared to other factors considered by the hiring managers.

Employers’ Perceptions of Online University Degrees and Their Relationship with the Recruitment and Selection Practices: The Case of Chile

Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The emergence of online university degree programs is an opportunity for Chile, struggling with low tertiary education attainment rates and a skills gap in the...

Employers’ Perceptions of Online University Degrees and Their Relationship with the Recruitment and Selection Practices: The Case of Chile

Published Online: Oct 15, 2022

Page range: 28 - 49

Received: Jun 01, 2022

Accepted: Aug 01, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ngoe-2022-0016

Keywords
Higher Education, Online University Degrees, Recruitment, Chile

© 2022 Vito Bobek, et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Employers’ Perceptions of Online University Degrees and Their Relationship with the Recruitment and Selection Practices: The Case of Chile

Published Online: Oct 15, 2022

Page range: 28 - 49

Received: Jun 01, 2022

Accepted: Aug 01, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ngoe-2022-0016

KeywordsHigher Education, Online University Degrees, Recruitment, Chile

© 2022 Vito Bobek, et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Higher Education, Online University Degrees, Recruitment, Chile