Strategic Talent Management and Agile Capabilities: Impact on Student Employability in Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Rapid labour-market transformation is increasing demand for adaptable, digitally capable graduates, placing pressure on universities to strengthen student employability through strategic talent development and agile learning. Aims: This study examines the role of Strategic Talent Management (STM) and Agile Capabilities in the employability of university students in Vietnam and how these are developed through skill acquisition, skill development, student project teams, self-leadership, agile leadership, agile learning environments and agile student teams. Study Design: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design using structural equation modelling. Place and Duration of Study: Vietnamese universities, mainly in Central Vietnam, during 2025. Methodology: The online survey used five-point Likert-scale items, and 201 Vietnamese university students completed the questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data, and statistical significance was assessed through bootstrapping with 5,000 subsamples. Results: Agile Capabilities showed the strongest association with Student Employability (β = 0.713, P < .001). Student Project Teams had substantial effects on both Strategic Talent Management (β = 0.398) and Agile Student Teams (β = 0.723). Skill Development and Self-Leadership contributed to STM, whereas the Agile Learning Environment and Agile Student Teams contributed to Agile Capabilities. However, Strategic Talent Management did not have a direct effect on Agile Capabilities. The reliability and validity of all measures were satisfactory. Conclusion: The findings indicate the value of agile, project-based pedagogy for improving student employability in Vietnam's changing labour market and provide practical guidance for universities, educators and policymakers preparing students for Industry 4.0.