TVET Institutions and Industry Partnerships: Academic Staff’s Perceptions of their Perceived Effect on Graduates’ Employability Skills

Abstract

Graduate’s employability skills remain a vital aspect in the Technical Vocation Education and Training based on the employers’ requirements across industries.  This study aimed at establishing the perceptions of the TVET academic staff to examine how TVET-industry influence the employability skills of graduates.  Particularly, this study focuses on the views of academic staff about how TVET-industry collaboration in curriculum development, sharing of training resources, industry participation in practical training and trainer professional development opportunities influence the TVET graduates’ employability skills as the study’s key constructs. The study conducted in 2024 utilized a cross sectional study design using a structured questionnaire with 5-point Linkert scale items that was administered to a sample of 217 academic staff who indicated the extent to which they agree with the statements corresponding to each construct. The sample was selected using purposive sampling technique. The perception-based data was coded and analyzed using correlation, and Structural Equation Model (SEM) using the STATA 17.0 ((Stata-Corp College Station, TX, USA) software to study the relationship among the study variables. The results grounded in the perceptions of the academic staff showed significant relationships curriculum development, sharing training resources, industry engagement in practical training, professional development and employability skills of the graduates. Additionally, the findings revealed perceived direct perceived effects from practical training on sharing of training resources, professional development opportunities for trainers, and employability. More so, the findings showed that sharing training resources and training opportunities are perceived to have direct perceived effects on graduates’ employability. This paper emphasizes, from the perspective of academic staff at TVET institutions, the necessity of reinforcing collaborative relationships between TVET institutions and industry partners recommending joint curriculum design and review committees, industry-based internship, promotion of continuous professional development and sharing resources. While relying on the academic staff’s perceptions, this paper provides a great contribution towards the knowledge pool of TVET-industry partnership determinants of the employability skills of TVET graduates.