An Educational Approach to Employability Competencies through SULAM: Evaluating Talent Acquisition Module for Job Searching Skills among Madrasah Students

Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a SULAM-based Talent Acquisition Module (TAM) in enhancing employability competencies among madrasah students in Melaka, Malaysia. Grounded in Experiential Learning Theory, this study addresses the persistent gap between academic learning and labour market readiness, particularly in underrepresented educational contexts with limited exposure to structured career development. A quantitative pre–post intervention design was employed, involving 157 participants from three madrasah institutions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring programme effectiveness (PE), knowledge evaluation (KE), and SULAM implementation (SI), and analysed using descriptive statistics and gap analysis. The findings indicate a high level of PE, with consistently strong satisfaction across facilitator performance, engagement, and module delivery. KE results demonstrate substantial improvements in employability-related knowledge and confidence, particularly in understanding job search skills, application ability, and confidence in seeking employment. More importantly, the pre–post SULAM implementation analysis reveals significant gains across all items, with mean scores increasing from low baseline levels to high post-intervention levels, resulting in large gap values. These findings indicate a transformative impact of the programme on participants’ ability to apply, retain, and disseminate employability knowledge. Overall, the results suggest that structured experiential learning integrated with employability-focused training can significantly enhance job search competencies, confidence, and knowledge sustainability. The study contributes to the employability literature by extending service-learning research beyond civic outcomes to include structured career development within non-mainstream educational settings. It also highlights the effectiveness of SULAM as a scalable intervention in bridging employability gaps among underrepresented student populations.