Core Competencies and Employability: The Mediating Roles of Digital Literacy and Learning Strategies

This study examined the mediating roles of digital literacy and learning strategies in the influence of core competencies on employability. Participants of this study were 916 college students in 10 Korean colleges. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics, reliability testing, correlation analysis, and structural equation modelling. The results showed that core competency had a positive effect on employability. Learning strategies mediated the influence of core competence on employability; digital literacy did not. There was a significant multi-mediated effect of digital literacy through learning strategy on the influence of core competence on employability. These findings suggest that college students need to develop such strategies for themselves or participate in structured programs provided by their colleges to make effective use of learning strategies. Also, because learning strategy may be a catalyst for digital literacy, it is indispensable for college teachers to point out the effective use of learning strategies using mainly digital devices and resources. It is necessary to conduct follow-up research such as experimental and quasi-experimental research to verify the influence of core competencies on employability depending on learners' characteristics such as learning styles, self-efficacy, and achievement goal orientations.