This study seeks to identify causal relationships in future employability, vocational values, employment preparation behavior, and the National Competency Standard(NCS)-based curricula, with respect to students in specialized high schools. Covariance structure analysis was used to estimate parameters of proposed research model. All data analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 programs.
This study found the following: first, the fit of the hypothetical causal model between employability, vocational values, employment preparation behavior, and NCS-based curricula was identified as suitable. Second, occupational values(β= .692), employment preparation behavior(β= .836), and curriculum based on NCS(β= .465) have a direct impact on employability. Third, in the relationship between employability and NCS-based curricula, the employment preparation behavior (0.513) had a significant mediating effect, but the occupational values did not show a significant mediating effect. Fourth, in the relationship between occupational values and employability, employment preparation behavior(0.638) showed a significant mediating effect.