Enhancing students’ perceived employability through employer engagement events in higher education: evidence from a quasi-experimental study

Purpose – The study aims to integrate sustainable career ecosystem theory and employability research to assess the impact of employer engagement (EE) events – a specific initiative within university career support services – on students' perceived employability (PE). In addition, it explores whether the effectiveness of EE events differs across student subgroups defined by gender and degree type. Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a quasi-experimental design using a pre-post-test questionnaire, collecting data from 277 students at a public university in Italy between 2021 and 2022, before and after their participation in career services. Data analysis was conducted using non-parametric statistics, ordinary least squares regressions, and propensity score matching to test whether EE events enhance PE more effectively than career services without employer participation. Findings – Results show that EE events effectively enhance students' PE. Specifically, students who participate in employer-led events experience a greater increase in their PE than those taking part in internally focused career support initiatives. Moreover, subgroup-specific analyses indicate that the effectiveness of EE events, relative to internally focused career services, is more pronounced among male and students outside science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Originality/value – The study contributes to the debate on career services and students' transitions into the labor market, highlighting the critical role of EE in enhancing students' PE. It also contributes to sustainable career ecosystem theory by shedding light on the importance of effective university–employer interaction within career services to foster students' awareness of their employment prospects and support their transition into the labor market.