Factors Affecting Agricultural Undergraduate's Competency to Enter Labor Market in the Age of Globalization

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effective factors on the agricultural undergraduate's competency to enter labor market in the age of globalization. The statistical population consisted of all agricultural undergraduate students of the agricultural majors of the College of Agricultural & Natural Resources at the University of Tehran in 2008-2009 academic year (N=1339). Out of which, according to Krejcie & Morgan's table, a number of 297 students were selected using proportionate stratified random samplings method. Finally 276 questionnaires were analyzed (n=276). Validity of the instrument was established using a panel of experts. The reliability of the main scales of the questionnaire was conformed as Cronbach's alpha values were all above 0.94. The findings indicated that the competency of 64.9% of student was equal to the mean score and %31.9 of them had low competency. Therefore, in order to prepare undergraduates properly to enter labor market in a globalised world, universities must pay a close attention to the contemporary educational needs and have to revised their courses and content of curriculum sharply. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that the variables of the participation in international activities, importance of international issues as perceived by students, educational level, student's interest in international issues & activities, and their gender explained %42.6 of variations in the agricultural undergraduate's competency to enter labor market in the age of globalization.