Islamic Value-Based Student Employability Scale: Validation with Rasch Model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25217/0020258659600Keywords:
Islamic value-based Scale, Student Employability, Rasch ModelAbstract
In the era of globalization, universities in Indonesia are expected to produce graduates who are academically excellent and equipped with employability skills grounded in Islamic values. This dual expectation necessitates the development of assessment tools that align educational outcomes with religious and cultural contexts. However, existing employability scales often fail to capture the ethical and spiritual dimensions vital for Muslim students. This study aimed to develop and validate an Islamic value-based student employability scale that integrates core employability skills, Islamic work ethics, workplace spirituality, resilience, and motivation. Item development was based on a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation to ensure theoretical relevance and cultural appropriateness. The Rasch model was employed to provide accurate, bias-free measurement and to confirm unidimensionality. A cross-sectional design involving 1,192 students from 26 public Islamic universities in Indonesia was used, with data collected through an online questionnaire. Rasch analysis demonstrated strong validity and reliability (item reliability = 1.00; person reliability = 0.90), confirming the scale's ability to measure a single core construct. The Islamic value-based employability scale offers a psychometrically sound tool for assessing Muslim students' workplace readiness. It provides practical insights for Islamic higher education curriculum development and policy design.
References
Abbas Ali. (2010). Scaling an Islamic Work Ethic. The Journal of Social Psychology, 128(5), 575–583.
Abu Bakar, R., Cooke, F. L., & Muenjohn, N. (2018). Religiosity as a source of influence on work engagement: a study of the Malaysian Finance industry. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(18), 2632–2658. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.1254103
Adawiyah, W. R., & Pramuka, B. A. (2017). Scaling the notion of Islamic spirituality in the workplace. Journal of Management Development, 36(7), 877–898. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-11-2014-0153
Adnan, A., Mursidin, M., Jayadi, J., Suriadi, S., Ridwan, Y., & Ikhwan, A. (2021). Education of Religious Characters in Indonesia. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference on Blended Learning, Educational Technology and Innovation (ACBLETI 2020), 560(Acbleti 2020), 435–440. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210615.083
Aftab, J., Sarwar, H., Kiran, A., Qureshi, M. I., Ishaq, M. I., Ambreen, S., & Kayani, A. J. (2023). Ethical leadership, workplace spirituality, and job satisfaction: moderating role of self-efficacy. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 18(12), 5880–5899. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-07-2021-1121
Ahmed, A., Arshad, M. A., Mahmood, A., & Akhtar, S. (2019). The influence of spiritual values on employee’s helping behavior: the moderating role of Islamic work ethic. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion, 16(3), 235–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/14766086.2019.1572529
Ahmed, A., Arshad, M. A., Mahmood, A., & Barkat, W. (2021). The impact of spiritual values on employees loyalty: the moderating role of Islamic work ethic. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 37(3), 341–355. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-09-2020-0147
Alqhaiwi, Z. O., Koburtay, T., & Syed, J. (2024). The Interplay Between Islamic Work Ethic, Unethical Pro Behaviors, and Moral Identity Internalization: The Moderating Role of Religiosity. Journal of Business Ethics, 193(2), 393–408. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05527-5
Alrifai, A. A., & Raju, V. (2019). The Employability Skills of Higher Education Graduates: A Review of Literature. Iarjset, 6(3), 83–88. https://doi.org/10.17148/iarjset.2019.6315
Aminah, S., Hidayah, N., Hanurawan, F., & Indreswari, H. (2024). Tailoring of the career adaptabilities scale for Indonesian youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 166(July), 107914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107914
Anggadwita, G., Dana, L. P., Ramadani, V., & Ramadan, R. Y. (2021). Empowering Islamic boarding schools by applying the humane entrepreneurship approach: the case of Indonesia. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 27(6), 1580–1604. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-11-2020-0797
Asefer, A., & Abidin, Z. (2021). Soft Skills and Graduates’ Employability in the 21st Century from Employers’ Perspectives: A Review of Literature. International Journal of Infrastructure Research and Management, 9(2), 44–59. https://iukl.edu.my/rmc/publications/ijirm
Bahrun, B., Bustamam, N., Bakar, A., Zuliani, H., Rosita, D., Saminan, S., & Amiruddin, A. (2023). Comparative Analysis of Resilience and Life Values Among Muslim Higher Education Students: The Influence of Traumatic Experiences, Gender, and Living Area. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.25217/0020236376100
Caidi, N., Nangia, P., Samson, H., Ekmekcioglu, C., & Olsson, M. (2025). Spiritual and religious information experiences. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, October 2023, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24983
Durib, M. J. (2014). Challenges of Globalization to School Curricula from the Point of View of Faculty Members with Suggestions of How to Deal with it. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 112(Iceepsy 2013), 1196–1206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1284
Fugate, M., Kinicki, A. J., & Ashforth, B. E. (2004). Employability: A psycho-social construct, its dimensions, and applications. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(1), 14–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2003.10.005
Gheitani, A., Imani, S., Seyyedamiri, N., & Foroudi, P. (2019). Mediating effect of intrinsic motivation on the relationship between Islamic work ethic, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment in banking sector. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 12(1), 76–95. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-01-2018-0029
Hagquist, C., & Andrich, D. (2017). Recent advances in analysis of differential item functioning in health research using the Rasch model. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 15(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-017-0755-0
Huda, M. (2024). Strengthening Religious Moderation Through the Core Values of Islamic Boarding School Education. Al-Hayat: Journal of Islamic Education, 8(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v8i1.458
Huda, M., Sudrajat, A., Muhamat, R., Mat Teh, K. S., & Jalal, B. (2019). Strengthening divine values for self-regulation in religiosity: insights from Tawakkul (trust in God). International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 35(3), 323–344. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijoes-02-2018-0025
Ifdil, I., Bariyyah, K., Maputra, Y., Zola, N., & Fadli, R. P. (2024). Rasch-based Validation of Meaning of Life Scale of Students. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 7(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.25217/0020247447800
Linando, J. A., Tumewang, Y. K., Nahda, K., & Nurfauziah. (2023). The dynamic effects of religion: An exploration of religiosity influences on Islamic work ethic over time. Cogent Business and Management, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2181127
Mahajan, R., Gupta, P., & Misra, R. (2022). Employability skills framework: a tripartite approach. Education and Training, 64(3), 360–379. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-12-2020-0367
Mahmud, A. (2024). Exploring the experiences of Muslim doctoral students in UK higher education: challenges, implications, and pathways to inclusivity. Studies in Higher Education, 50(4), 848–863. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2357718
Mahsyar, Andi Bahri, S., Nurhayati, S., & Yaumi, M. (2024). Local Civilization and Hadīth Traditions: Exploring Luqman Al-Hakim`s Conception of “Sparkling Pearls” in Latoa and its Relevance for Islamic Ethos Development. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 14(1), 209–230. https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.141.13
Martínez, A. R., Sánchez, V. S., Linares, C. F., & Cosculluela, C. L. (2021). Key soft skills in the orientation process and level of employability. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(6), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063554
Mu’awanah, E., Hidayah, N., Sulistyorini, & Hidayah, R. (2020). Learning decision and spiritual based skills for adult education. International Journal of Instruction, 13(3), 805–826. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13354a
Mujahid, I. (2021). Islamic orthodoxy-based character education: creating moderate Muslim in a modern pesantren in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 11(2), 185–212. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v11i2.185-212
Okolie, U. C., Nwosu, H. E., & Mlanga, S. (2019). Graduate employability: How the higher education institutions can meet the demand of the labour market. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 9(4), 620–636. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-09-2018-0089
Osman-Gani, A. M., Hashim, J., & Ismail, Y. (2013). Establishing linkages between religiosity and spirituality on employee performance. Employee Relations, 35(4), 360–376. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-04-2012-0030
Punti, G., & Dingel, M. (2021). Rethinking race, ethnicity, and the assessment of intercultural competence in higher education. Education Sciences, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030110
Ramdani, R., Hanurawan, F., Ramli, M., Lasan, B. B., & Afdal, A. (2020). Development and Validation of Indonesian Academic Resilience Scale Using Rasch Models. International Journal of Instruction, 14(1), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.29333/IJI.2021.1417A
Rangka, I. B., Hidayah, N., Hanurawan, F., & Eva, N. (2023). A Rasch-based validation of the Indonesian version of the food neophobia scale. Food Quality and Preference, 109(5), 104891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.104891
Rasch, G. (1968). A mathematical theory of objectivity and its consequences for model construction. Report from European Meeting on Statistics, Econometrics and Management Sciences, Amsterdam.
Roy, S., Huq, S., & Rob, A. B. A. (2020). Faith and education in Bangladesh: A review of the contemporary landscape and challenges. International Journal of Educational Development, 79, 102290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2020.102290
Saeed, I., Khan, J., Zada, M., Ullah, R., Vega-Muñoz, A., & Contreras-Barraza, N. (2022). Towards Examining the Link Between Workplace Spirituality and Workforce Agility: Exploring Higher Educational Institutions. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 15, 31–49. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S344651
Sahin, A. (2018). Critical issues in islamic education studies: Rethinking islamic and western liberal secular values of education. Religions, 9(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9110335
Salahudin, S. N. bin, Baharuddin, S. S. binti, Abdullah, M. S., & Osman, A. (2016). The Effect of Islamic Work Ethics on Organizational Commitment. Procedia Economics and Finance, 35(October 2015), 582–590. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(16)00071-x
Samier, E., & Elkaleh, E. (2021). Towards a model of muslim women’s management empowerment: Philosophical and historical evidence and critical approaches. Administrative Sciences, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/ADMSCI11020047
Sani, A., & Ekowati, V. M. (2022). Spirituality to organizational citizenship behavior from Islamic perspective: mediating role of spirituality at work and organizational commitment. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 13(12), 2672–2694. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-07-2020-0211
Savickas, M. L. (2002). Career construction. Career Choice and Development, 149(205), 14–38.
Sekerka, L. E., & Yacobian, M. M. (2018). Fostering workplace respect in an era of anti-Muslimism and Islamophobia: A proactive approach for management. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 37(8), 813–831. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2017-0265
Shaikh, A. L., & Alam Kazmi, S. H. (2022). Exploring marketing orientation in integrated Islamic schools. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 13(8), 1609–1638. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-11-2019-0241
Shan, Z., & Wang, Y. (2024). Strategic Talent Development in the Knowledge Economy: A Comparative Analysis of Global Practices. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 19570–19596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-024-01933-w
Sidani, Y., & Al Ariss, A. (2015). New Conceptual Foundations for Islamic Business Ethics: The Contributions of Abu-Hamid Al-Ghazali. Journal of Business Ethics, 129(4), 847–857. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2136-5
Sunardi, Purnomo, & Sutadji, E. (2016). Employability skills measurement model’s of vocational student. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1778(September). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4965777
Surata, I. M., Suwintana, I. K., Sudhana, I. G. P. F., & Hariyanti, N. K. D. (2017). Employability skills required by the 21 st-century workplace: a literature review of labour market demand I Made Suarta, I Ketut Suwintana, I G P Fajar Pranadi Sudhana, Ni Kadek Dessy Hariyanti. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 102(Ictvt), 337–342.
Surbakti, S. S. B., Harahap, R., & Hasanah, U. (2024). Future perspectives on the islamic personality model: Integrating spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, personal, and behavioral dimensions for holistic development. Journal on Islamic Studies, 1(1), 17–35. https://doi.org/10.35335/7adqms82
Thomason, S. J., Weeks, M. R., & Galperin, B. (2023). An exploratory analysis of generational differences in the World Values Surveys and their application to business leaders. Ethics and Behavior, 33(5), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2022.2086872
Tongo, C. I. (2015). Social Responsibility, Quality of Work Life and Motivation to Contribute in the Nigerian Society. Journal of Business Ethics, 126(2), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1940-7
Woldegiorgis, E. T., & Chiramba, O. (2024). Access and success in higher education: fostering resilience in historically disadvantaged students in South Africa. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 17(2), 759–771. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-05-2023-0217
Wu, M. C., Majd, M., Tiao, W. J., & Shahmirzadi, D. (2025). A study on the major factors of successful entrepreneurial leadership: taking perspectives of Islamic culture. Small Enterprise Research, 5906, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2025.2492013
Zuhdi, M. (2018). Challenging moderate muslims: Indonesia’s muslim schools in the midst of religious conservatism. Religions, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9100310
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rikas Saputra, Im Hambali, Muslihati Muslihati, Arbin Janu Setiyowati, Yenni Lidyawati, Erfan Ramadhani, Nur Raihan Che Nawi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
