An Exploratory Study of the Expectation-Performance Skills Gap of Entry-Level IT Graduates in the Software Engineering Sector of Sri Lanka
Keywords:
Expectation-performance gap, Entry-level IT graduates, Software engineering, Technical skills, Soft skillsAbstract
The rapid evolution of the Sri Lankan software engineering sector has intensified the demand for highly proficient IT professionals, yet a significant disparity exists between graduates’ performance and industry expectations. Utilizing the Bui and Porter (2013) framework, current qualitative study explores the Expectation-Performance Gap (EPG) by triangulating the perceptions of three stakeholders: educators, employers, and graduates within the non-state higher education institutions. Furthermore, current exploratory study maps the various obstacles faced during the shift from academic to professional settings, rigorously assesses perceived performance levels, and defines necessary technical and transversal (soft) competencies. The results show a misalignment of curriculum design with respect to industry benchmarks and substantial systemic inadequacies in competency evaluation. As a result, the study emphasizes the critical need for improved industry-academia collaboration, the incorporation of employer-sponsored training programs, and the establishment of strong policy frameworks to support iterative curriculum improvement. In Sri Lankan software engineering landscape, these deficits offer a strategic basis for evidence-based curriculum planning.
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