Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education
The significance of education to national development is widely recognized. it is acknowledged that it influences positively economic growth and development. Further it is argued, the growth and development of this nature hinges predominantly on the quality and quantity of Education (World Bank,...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2015
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/92631/1/FPP%202015%2016%20-%20IR.pdf |
| _version_ | 1796982764277334016 |
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| author | Rufai, Ahmed Umar |
| author_facet | Rufai, Ahmed Umar |
| author_sort | Rufai, Ahmed Umar |
| collection | UPM |
| description | The significance of education to national development is widely recognized. it is
acknowledged that it influences positively economic growth and development. Further it is
argued, the growth and development of this nature hinges predominantly on the quality and
quantity of Education (World Bank, 2000). Of recent employers in Nigeria complained that
some of the professional graduates from the tertiary institutions have the certificates but lack
the practical occupational skills, or job experience. and therefore they are considered
incompetent for not being able to relate the theoretical part of their education to the practical
working environment in industry. As a result of this, there was 'skill gap' occurring between
the demand of employment and the level of educational preparation of graduates. indeed
calls for research for a common and effective model or framework of employability that can
withstand the test of present day labour market requirement. It was the awareness of this gap
in our educational system and the need to bring closer institutions and employer to a more
beneficial working relationship that motivated the need for this study.
The broad objective of the study is to explore employability skills initiative in Nigerian
Technical higher education. Specifically. the aim was to have an in depth investigation on
how the tertiary institutions in particular, Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria seek to
enhance graduate employability skills using various approaches. The study was guided by
the following five research questions; what is the perception of employability by the
academic staff and employers? What skill competence do the employers look for in a
contemporary graduate of higher education? What are ways in which the academic
department engaged in developing employability skills? How are the employers involved in
the planning and implementation of higher education curricula'? And what are the skill
competences required to evolve a new framework.
The Research method was essentially qualitative, Grounded theory design was selected. The
researcher collected documents, conducted semi-structured interviews and recorded
observations in cross-section of subject discipline within the academic departments of
universities and polytechnics in Nigeria and some selected companies. The study through
extensive review of literature, and interviews, captured the collective voices of experts. and
professionals from the academics and companies on the development of employability
skills, consequently, series of findings emerged. through which a new model of 'ES'
evolved.
The study findings include among others; that the concept of employability skills underpin
two broad areas, subject or discipline based skills and generic skills and it has to do with
individual characteristics behavior in terms of occupational skills that makes him work ready; that employers describe an employable graduate as person with flexible attitudes
towards work and career, someone with self-theories that create in himself confidence and
optimism. Apart from subject skills, the study found that, personal attributes are mostly
preferred by employers. These include, interpersonal skills. creativity. teamwork,
adaptability, critical thinking/problem solving ability. emotional intelligence. awareness of
work environment and attitudes; embedding learning skills into the curricula was found to
be more result oriented than other initiatives; other findings includes provision of effective
teaching methods and institution employer partnership, improved learning environment and
facilities. Finally the study developed a new framework based on USEM account of
employability. The new model has four main components. Subject. employment
development opportunities, reflection, and employability.
In addition to the new proposed framework, the study recommend that both the institutions
employers partnership to reconsider a new way of thinking to form considerable flexible
commitment from both stakeholders to share the needs, problem, strength, and weakness of
educational programmes. The study further recommend the need to overhaul the curricula to
systematically address learning of employability, by and large, academic staff, in addition to
the subject knowledge, should possess a wide range of teaching methods or strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T10:56:40Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | upm.eprints-92631 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T10:56:40Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | upm.eprints-926312022-04-13T01:21:25Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/92631/ Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education Rufai, Ahmed Umar The significance of education to national development is widely recognized. it is acknowledged that it influences positively economic growth and development. Further it is argued, the growth and development of this nature hinges predominantly on the quality and quantity of Education (World Bank, 2000). Of recent employers in Nigeria complained that some of the professional graduates from the tertiary institutions have the certificates but lack the practical occupational skills, or job experience. and therefore they are considered incompetent for not being able to relate the theoretical part of their education to the practical working environment in industry. As a result of this, there was 'skill gap' occurring between the demand of employment and the level of educational preparation of graduates. indeed calls for research for a common and effective model or framework of employability that can withstand the test of present day labour market requirement. It was the awareness of this gap in our educational system and the need to bring closer institutions and employer to a more beneficial working relationship that motivated the need for this study. The broad objective of the study is to explore employability skills initiative in Nigerian Technical higher education. Specifically. the aim was to have an in depth investigation on how the tertiary institutions in particular, Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria seek to enhance graduate employability skills using various approaches. The study was guided by the following five research questions; what is the perception of employability by the academic staff and employers? What skill competence do the employers look for in a contemporary graduate of higher education? What are ways in which the academic department engaged in developing employability skills? How are the employers involved in the planning and implementation of higher education curricula'? And what are the skill competences required to evolve a new framework. The Research method was essentially qualitative, Grounded theory design was selected. The researcher collected documents, conducted semi-structured interviews and recorded observations in cross-section of subject discipline within the academic departments of universities and polytechnics in Nigeria and some selected companies. The study through extensive review of literature, and interviews, captured the collective voices of experts. and professionals from the academics and companies on the development of employability skills, consequently, series of findings emerged. through which a new model of 'ES' evolved. The study findings include among others; that the concept of employability skills underpin two broad areas, subject or discipline based skills and generic skills and it has to do with individual characteristics behavior in terms of occupational skills that makes him work ready; that employers describe an employable graduate as person with flexible attitudes towards work and career, someone with self-theories that create in himself confidence and optimism. Apart from subject skills, the study found that, personal attributes are mostly preferred by employers. These include, interpersonal skills. creativity. teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking/problem solving ability. emotional intelligence. awareness of work environment and attitudes; embedding learning skills into the curricula was found to be more result oriented than other initiatives; other findings includes provision of effective teaching methods and institution employer partnership, improved learning environment and facilities. Finally the study developed a new framework based on USEM account of employability. The new model has four main components. Subject. employment development opportunities, reflection, and employability. In addition to the new proposed framework, the study recommend that both the institutions employers partnership to reconsider a new way of thinking to form considerable flexible commitment from both stakeholders to share the needs, problem, strength, and weakness of educational programmes. The study further recommend the need to overhaul the curricula to systematically address learning of employability, by and large, academic staff, in addition to the subject knowledge, should possess a wide range of teaching methods or strategies. 2015-08 Thesis NonPeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/92631/1/FPP%202015%2016%20-%20IR.pdf Rufai, Ahmed Umar (2015) Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education. Doctoral thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Employability - Nigeria Graduate students employment - Nigeria Universities and colleges - Graduate work |
| spellingShingle | Employability - Nigeria Graduate students employment - Nigeria Universities and colleges - Graduate work Rufai, Ahmed Umar Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title | Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title_full | Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title_fullStr | Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title_short | Exploring employability skills initiatives practice in Nigerian technical higher education |
| title_sort | exploring employability skills initiatives practice in nigerian technical higher education |
| topic | Employability - Nigeria Graduate students employment - Nigeria Universities and colleges - Graduate work |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/92631/1/FPP%202015%2016%20-%20IR.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rufaiahmedumar exploringemployabilityskillsinitiativespracticeinnigeriantechnicalhighereducation |