ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATION OF EMPLOYBILITY SKILLS BY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT GRADUATE EMPLOYEES IN EDO AND DELTA STATE IN NIDERIA

Background to the Study

Economic and social developments globally are increasingly driven by the advancement and application of knowledge. The changing world of work has been influenced significantly in recent years by changes in technology,as well as in theories of managerial best practices. This development has made organizations to become more interested in talented employees with innovative skills toenable organizations competefavourably with other competitors (Aida, Noralis&Rozain, 2015). The demands of the knowledge economy have placed renewed emphasis on graduates‟ employability and the development of higher order thinking skills. Changes in technology, managerial practices and the competitive environment have raised the level and breadth of knowledge, skills and abilities that employers require from employees. This has further widened the already significant gap between employers‟ needs and the actual skill levels and abilities of graduates who enter the labour pool to apply these skills(Babes, 2009).

In both developed and developing countries, the issue of graduates‟ employability is a contentious issue that is debated in the labour market, educational institutions as well as the private and public sector (Bester &Boshoff,

2009).Petronellaand Renee (2015) observed that employers‟dissatisfaction with the level of skills and qualities ofgraduates contributes to the growing graduates‟unemployment rate in most parts of the world in recent times. Akinyemi,Ofem and Ikuenomore (2012) reiterated that graduates turn out outpaced the graduate employment rate in Nigeria. This development is as a result of inadequate application of technical knowledge, deficiency in English proficiency and lack of critical thinking skills on the part of the graduates coupled with high technological drive of most organizations in response to tougher competition in the competitive markets.

In the report of the forum held in Nigeria by the British council on “bridging employability skill gap in Nigeria”,it was revealed that the graduates‟ unemployment in Nigeria is attributableto lack of foundational skills which encompasses the communicative skills. It was added that some graduates do not know how to express themselves in writing especially when looking for employment. In the same vein,LaoluOguntuyi a participant during the forum reiterated that Nigerian graduates lack hard skills and the soft skills. It was suggested at the forum that in order for graduates to be globally competitive, supporting economic growth and continuing to attract inward investment, it is essential, for the Nigerian graduates to have employability skills which encompasses soft skills and hard skills.