Title: Digital Communication Competencies and Undergraduate Business Education Students' Employment Readiness at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Authors: Effiong Effiong Ebieme, PhD, MNIM
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 41-49
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
: This study investigated digital communication competencies and undergraduate Business Education students' employment readiness at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study was necessitated by the widening workplace competency gap between institutional university training and the actual digital expectations of the modern corporate environment. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 99 final-year Business Education students in the Department of Business Education at the University of Uyo. Purposive sampling technique was used. Data were collected via a validated "Digital Communication Competencies and Employment Readiness Questionnaire (DCCERQ), with Cronbach's alpha reliability co-efficient value of 0.82. Simple linear regression was used in answering research questions one and two, and testing null hypotheses one and two, while multiple regression was used in testing null hypotheses three at 0-.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that proficiency in computer-mediated communication platforms; virtual team collaboration suites, digital professional writing (digital workflows), and online presentation and digital pitching competencies significantly predicted graduates' readiness for the contemporary corporate workforce. While foundational writing skills are stable, critical gaps persist in active team collaboration platforms. The study concluded that standardizing digital workplace competencies is vital for global employability. It was recommended, among others, the Department of Business Education, University of Uyo, should mandate the adoption of cloud-based project management and communication tools such as Slack Microsoft Team and Google Workspace for group assignment and continuous assessment to build virtual collaboration, professional email writing etiquettes, and technical pitching competencies, thereby directly enhancing the economic value and market productivity of the institution's graduates.