The Mediating Role of Soft Skills in the Link Between Innovative Training Approaches and Graduate Employability: A Structural Equation Model from Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of soft skills in the relationship between innovative training approaches (ITA) and graduate employability (GE) in Tanzanian higher learning institutions (HLIs). Using survey data from 366 graduates, the study employed structural equation modeling (SmartPLS) to test a mediation framework linking ITA, soft skills, and GE. The findings reveal that ITA significantly enhance the development of soft skills, which in turn improve employability outcomes. Moreover, soft skills were found to play a critical mediating role, as ITA did not directly influence graduate employability unless their impact was transmitted through the development of soft skills. The direct effect of soft skills on employability was substantial (β = 0.42, Q² = 0.32), suggesting that graduates with stronger soft skills are more likely to be employable. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of integrating innovative training approaches and by empirically examining the mediating role of soft skills within the Tanzanian context.