Development of an Employability Thinking Scale for Use with Young People in Training: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Abstract

The present study addresses the need for valid and reliable tools to assess employability thinking among young people in training. In a labor market increasingly shaped by transversal skill demands, the objective was to construct and validate a scale adapted for secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary students. Grounded in strategic frameworks such as the Europe 2020 Strategy, the European Skills Agenda, and relevant Spanish legislation, an abbreviated version of the Graduate Skills and Attributes Scale (GSAS) was administered to a representative sample of 949 Andalusian students enrolled in com-pulsory secondary education, baccalaureate, or vocational training. A cross-sectional and exploratory research design was adopted, with all procedures conducted in accordance with ethical and legal standards and approved by the University of Granada’s ethics committee. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, leading to a refined 28-item version of the instrument. Items were grouped into four well-defined factors: ethical self-regulation and achievement orientation, effective communication and collaborative working, proactivity and commitment to learning, and analytical thinking and information handling. The factors demonstrated high internal consistency and structural validity. These findings indicate that the scale is a clear and effective tool for assessing employability-related competencies and may assist in the design of educational interventions aimed at improving students’ professional development.