Beyond graduation: Employability, professional competence, and career productivity of MAEd educational management graduates

This descriptive tracer study examined the employability status, professional competencies, and career productivity of graduates of the Master of Arts in Education major in Educational Management (MAEd–EDM) at Capiz State University. Using complete enumeration sampling, a total of 103 graduates from 2010 to 2025 participated through an online researcher-made questionnaire. Findings revealed a 100% full-time employment rate, with the majority already employed at graduation and nearly all (98%) reporting strong alignment between their degree and current professional roles. Most graduates are employed in the public education sector, with a notable proportion having advanced into supervisory and administrative positions. Graduates rated the program’s contribution to leadership readiness, core competencies, and workplace skills development at a very high extent, with ethical leadership, decision-making, human relations, and professional confidence identified as the program’s strongest outcomes. Graduate satisfaction was exceptionally high, with all respondents expressing willingness to recommend the program. While research competence and digital skills were similarly rated very high, these areas were identified as strategic priorities for further enhancement. The study recommends institutionalizing curriculum review, expanding experiential learning, strengthening research capacity-building, and integrating advanced digital leadership modules to sustain program quality and responsiveness to evolving educational demands.