Bridging Academia–Industry Gaps through the KSAM Framework: Competency Assessment in IT Education and Industrial Training

This review examines competency assessment in Information Technology (IT) education and industrial training with a focus on internships as a bridge to employability. It synthesizes peer-reviewed studies published in English between 2010–2024, identified using inclusion criteria limited to IT/ICT higher education, work-integrated learning (WIL)/internships, and explicit competency frameworks. Evidence is global with a strong concentration in South and Southeast Asia particularly Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and the Philippines allowing regional contrasts within a broader international picture. Across this corpus, employers consistently prioritize a solid technical foundation (programming, QA/testing, data management, cloud) alongside transversal skills communication, teamwork, analytical thinking, adaptability, and professional attitude that enable effective performance in collaborative, client-oriented environments. The study emphasizes that the quality of internship experiences, rather than their duration, is the most influential factor in enhancing employability. Internships that incorporate authentic project tasks, defined learning outcomes, structured mentoring, and multi-source assessment mechanisms tend to yield stronger professional readiness. Common competency assessment methods include structured surveys, rubric-based frameworks, supervisor evaluations, project artefact reviews, and reflective learning reports. Competency mapping frequently employs the Knowledge–Skills–Attitudes (KSA) framework, while the 4Cs (Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity) and Emotional Intelligence models are used to assess behavioral and interpersonal competencies crucial for modern IT workplaces. Employer-driven competency clusters and Industry 4.0/5.0 taxonomies further align academic outcomes with evolving technological roles but require localization to fit specific regional and industrial contexts. Distinct regional emphases were noted: Southeast Asian employers highlighted delivery management and analytics, whereas Sri Lankan employers emphasized English proficiency, discipline, and professional conduct. Overall, the review concludes that graduate employability improves significantly when curricula and internships are explicitly aligned with validated competency frameworks, when assessments are behavior-based and triangulated across multiple evidence sources, and when authentic work artefacts are integrated into the evaluation process.