COOPERATIVE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION MODEL FOR EHANCING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF BUSINESS EDUCATION GRADUATES IN EDO AND OGUN STATES

Authors

  • Bamidele Esther ADEYANJU Department of Vocational and Technical Education University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
  • Victor Imuetinyan IGBINEDION Department of Vocational and Technical Education University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria,

Keywords:

employability, skills, cooperative vocational education model

Abstract

The study examined cooperative vocational education as a model for enhancing employability skills of business education graduates in Edo and Ogun States. Five research questions were answered and three hypotheses were tested. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study which comprised 119 business education graduates from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State andTai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State was completely used because it was manageable. A structured questionnaire of 35 items was used to collect the data. The instrument was validated and the reliability coefficient of .91 was obtained using Cronbach’s alpha formula. The data collected were analyzed using mean (�̅) and standard deviation for the research questions and t-test to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that cooperative vocational education model will enhance the acquisition of core business skills; working with tools and technology skills; dependability and reliability skills; customer focus skills; and decision management skills to a high extent among business education graduates. It was therefore recommended that cooperative vocational education model should be adopted or adapted in business education programme in Nigeria.

References

Aluko, Y. A. (2014). Employers’ perceptions of the employability skills of new graduates in Nigeria. Journalof

Educational Review, 7(4), 547-556. Bassah, N., & Noor, M. (2023). Employability Skills Needed for TVET Graduates in Malaysia: Perspectiveof

Industry Expert. Online Journal for TVET Practitioners, 8(1), 52-59. 10.30880/ojtp.2023.08.01.005. Behle, H. (2020). Students’ and graduates’ employability. A framework to classify and measure

employability gain. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 4, 105–30. Bloom, M. R., & Kitagawa, K. G. (1999). Understanding employability skills. Report of the Conference

Board of Canada. Canale, R., & Duwart, E. (1999). Internet based reflective learning for cooperative education learners duringco- op work periods. Journal of Cooperative Education, 34(2), 25-34. Etonyeaku, E. A. C., & Ezeji, H. A. (2013). Cooperative vocational business education: A programme for

production of skilled office personnel. International Journal of Research in Arts and SocialSciences, 5, 489-497. Ezenwafor, J. I., & Olaniyi, O. N. (2017). Rating skills needed by business education graduates for

entrepreneurship development in Southwest Nigeria. International Journal of Entrepreneurial

Development, Education and Science Research, 4(1), 165-177. Federal Rebublic of Nigeria (2013). National policy on education. Lagos: NERDC

Goma, O. (2000). Cooperative vocational education. Unpublished mimeograph. Rivers State College of

Education, Port Harcourt. Grubb, W. N. & Villeneuve, J. C. (1995), Cooperative education in Cincinnati, Berkeley, C.A: National

Centre for Research in Vocational Education. Retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cooperative_education

Hossain, M., Manzurul A., Mohammed A., & Amirus S. (2020). Factor affecting business graduates’ employability—Empirical evidence using partial least squares (PLS), Education + Training, 62, 292–

Ile, C. M., & Ementa, C. N. (2016). Appraisal of information technology courses in business education

programme in Southeast Nigeria. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(1), 200-207. Iyekekpolo, J. A. (2016). Business education as a strategy for boosting employment opportunities for Nigerian

graduates. Unpublished M.Ed Thesis. Department of Vocational and Technical Education.University

of Benin. Jackson, D. (2013). Business graduates employability – where are we going? Journal of Higher Education

Research and Development, 32 (5), 776-790. Jackson, D. A., & Susan E. (2019). Encouraging students to draw on work experiences when articulating

achievements and capabilities to enhance employability. Australian Journal of Career Development, 28, 39–50. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood

cliffs: Prentice Hall. Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT Press. Mainga, W., Daniel, R. M., & Alamil, L. (2022). Perceptions of employability skills of undergraduate

business students in a developing country: An exploratory study. Higher Learning Research

Communications, 12(1), 28–63, https://doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v12i1..1257

National Network of Business and Industry Associations (2014). Common employability skills: A foundation

for success in workplace. https://businessroundtable.org/sites/default/files/Common%

Employability_asingle_fm.pdf

National Universities Commission (2022). Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS)for

Nigerian Universities. NUC

North Carolina State Board of Education (2000). Cooperative education policies and procedures manual. (2024) http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/cdidte/curriculum/work-based/types/cooperative/

Orikpe, E. A. (2013). Co-operative occupational education: A strategy for preparing Nigerian youths for

employment in Agricultural occupations. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3 (4), 85-89. Doi:10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n4p85. Osinem, E. C., and Nwoji, U.C. (2005). Students industrial work experience in Nigeria: Concepts, principles

and practice. Enugu. Cheston Agency. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). Cooperative education guidelines for administration. http://www.education.pa.gov/pages/default.aspx#tab-1

Pitan, O. S. and Adedeji, S. O. (2012), Skills mismatch among university graduates in theNigeriann labour

market. US-China Education Review A1 (90-98). Ukoha, O. N. (2008) Development of the framework on cooperative education for enhancing skills acquisition

of radio, television, and electronic work in technical colleges in Southeastern States of Nigeria. Unpublished M.ed Thesis. Department of Vocational Teacher Education. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Downloads

Published

2024-07-13