DETERMINATION OF SELF EMPELOYMENT SKILLS NEEDED BY BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH -WEST

Background of the Study

Education is the bed rock of a nation‟s economy. It is the suitable legacy with which a child should be left in order to successfully exist in life and to remain productively capable in any economy. Education is also seen to be the robust step in paving the way for the citizenry of a nation to achieve their desired interest in the world of business. Education has also been viewed as the instrument used to impact in-depth knowledge and understanding so as to advance the youths to new frontier of knowledge in different walks of life (Enwere, Ugwu, & Olawoyin, 2013). It is not a gain saying that a nation could be bailed from the syndrome of unemployment if a well-tailored education cum training is provided by the government of a country. One of the educational programmes that are available in Nigerian tertiary educational institutions in order to promote self-reliance is Business Education.

Business Education is a type of education that is designed to inculcate in individuals skills, knowledge, business spirit and acumen needed to thrive in the world of work and to become self reliant. Nwaigburu and Eneogwe (2013) opined that Business Education represents a broad and diverse discipline that is included in all types of educational delivery systems-elementary, secondary and tertiary institutions. It includes education for office occupation, distribution, marketing occupations, accounting, business teaching, business administration, business management, typewriting, stenography and secretarial education or studies. Business Education will produce responsible, productive and self-reliant citizens. This highlights the importance of Business Education in inculcating in the recipients knowledge, values, attitudes and skills needed in the business world (Ezeani, 2012). Business Education programme is offered in educational institutions including college of education.

College of Education is an educational institution established to prepare individuals to become professionally trained teachers and individuals who will be able to be productive in the society. At this stage of education, one of the programmes offered is Business Education which prepares its recipients for teaching profession, undertake job in industry and or creation of venture that is owned, managed and controlled by the recipients after graduation. Ability to create self venture is as a result of necessary skills which would have been imparted in the trainees during the programme in the institutions. The growth and development of the economy depend largely on the kind of skills that the graduates of educational institutions are equipped with (Owenvbiugie & Ediagbonya, 2014). At the completion of Business Education programme in colleges of education, it is expected that the objectives for which Business Education programme is organized

must have been achieved by the individuals and leading to the award of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).

The objectives of Business Education at NCE level as enshrined in National Commission for Colleges of Education (2012 ed.) are to produce well qualified and competent NCE graduates who will possess minimum qualification for teaching in primary schools; to produce NCE business teachers who will be able to inculcate the vocational aspects of Business Education into the society; to produce NCE business teachers who will be involved in the much desired revolution of vocational development right from the primary and secondary schools; to equip students with the necessary competencies so as to qualify them for a post NCE degree programme in Business Education; to equip graduates with the right skills that will enable them to engage in a life of work in the office as well as self employment. It could therefore be inferred that for any graduate of College of Education to be able to stand on his or her own economically, such graduates must have acquired relevant skills that are germane in making one fit for self- employment.

Self-employment is starting and running a successful business or social enterprise and is equally a lifestyle choice achievable by setting up a business, either on a full-time basis or alongside a part-time job; working as a freelancer or contractor and buying into a franchise (Laing, 2011). Self-employment therefore is a situation whereby individual persons engage in any economic activity and manages it on their own. Department of Human Services (2017) viewed self- employment as a situation whereby individual operates a business or profession as a sole proprietor, partner in a partnership or Corporation, independent contractor or consultant and draw income from the trade or business while the person must demonstrate that he or she is in business for the purpose of making a profit. Someone who organizes or sets up, owns, manages, funds and controls a venture or business rather than being engaged by government or private organisation could be termed to be in self employment. Such person remains economically independent and as such a contributor to national development. A person who has acquired requisite skills in the course of training in educational institution is expected to have understanding of managing business and be able to stand on his own in the business world. Skills are therefore important tools in national development.

Skill can be referred to mean ability and dexterity which if employed on a particular vocation such as business, the result will commensurate with the predetermined objective and thus brings about improved economic status (Olawoyin & Adegoke-Samuel, 2018). Olawoyin and Adegoke-Samuel (2018) further explicated that a person who acquires adequate skills in business activities during the course of training stands the chance of setting up an occupation of his choice and even capable of employing many others after the training. A skill as

opined by Etonyeaku, Kanu, Ezeji, and Chukwuma (2014) is an ability to perform an activity in a competent manner. A skill is any established habit of performing a task in a way that is acceptable by a worker in his specialization. It is the ability to use one‟s knowledge effectively and readily in performing an act or a habit of doing a particular task competently (Skillscan, 2012). It could therefore be concluded that skill is the aptitude to handle a particular task in a professional manner towards achieving the desired aim. However, for a person to be self- sufficient or self-reliant and contribute productively to the society where he or she belongs and to the national development, he or she has to be in self-employment. Certain skills should be acquired by trainees for them to be in self-employment after graduation. Ezenwafor and Olaniyi (2017) asserted that skills for operating a business enterprise are needed for the business to succeed in the competitive market. Some of the skills include time management skills, self motivation skills, interpersonal skills, human resource management skills, financial management skills and customer service skills.

Time management is the act of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide one‟s time between specific activities (Mindtools, 2017). Juneja (2018) opined that time management refers to managing

time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity. The success of a business owner hinges on his/her ability to manage his/her time effectively. Managing time in the business world occupies a high place owing to the fact that it facilitates the yield of high productivity. In the world of business, time is an important element which must be judiciously used. That is why it is of high importance to instill in the students of Business Education skills of time management to prevent them from wasting time meant for productive activities in the world of work. However, time management skills include skills needed to adapting plans to changing circumstances; allocating time for specific tasks; auditing how time is spent; avoiding excessive small talk with co-workers; avoiding procrastination; eliminating time wasters; facilitating efficient meetings; grouping similar tasks together to limit transition time; maintaining an organized work area and prioritizing requests and demands. To be able to carry out all the skills, one needs to be self motivated.

Self motivation as explained in Business Dictionary (2018) is the ability to do what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations. People with self motivation can find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing another to encourage them. Self- motivation is the force that drives one to do things. Self-motivation is the force that keeps pushing one to go on and it is the internal drive to achieve, produce, develop,

and keep moving forward (Mindtools, 2017). Self-motivation is the ability to do what needs to be done without being prompted by others or the willingness to take a fresh approach (Career centre, 2016). Self-motivation involves personal drive to achieve; the desire to improve or to meet certain standards; commitment to personal or organisational goals; initiative, which is readiness to act on opportunities; and optimism, the ability to keep going and pursue goals in the face of setback. Ile and Nwokoli (2016) expressed that an individual who desires to become a successful enterprise manager in the competitive market needs appropriate level of self-motivation skills. Self-motivation skills can be supported by interpersonal skills in a bid to achieve greater independence in relation to self employment.

Interpersonal skills are capabilities to effectively communicate, socialize, connect, and cooperate with people in life, whether it is an individual or a group (Study.com, 2003). According to Investopedia (2018), interpersonal skills are the skills used by a person to interact with others properly. In the business domain, the term generally refers to an employee's ability to get along with others while getting the job done. Interpersonal skills include everything from communication and listening skills to attitude and deportment. Good interpersonal skills are a prerequisite for many positions in an organization. Terrell (2018) asserted that interpersonal skills are the skills that are used when communicating and

collaborating with others. Interpersonal skills are the skills used every day when persons communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups. Other skills that are of great importance in the quest for self employment are a set of human resource management skills.

Human resource management is the process of hiring and developing employees so that they become more valuable to the organization (Business, 2018). Human resource management includes conducting job analyses, planning personnel needs, recruiting the right people for the job, orienting and training, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, evaluating performance, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees at all levels. Examples of core qualities of HR management are extensive knowledge of the industry, leadership, and effective negotiation skills. Human resource management is a strategic, integrated and coherent approach to the employment, development and well-being of the people working in organisations (Armstrong, 2016).

Human resource management is the process through which management builds the workforce and tries to create the human performances that the organisation needs (Boxall & Purcell, 2016). Riordan (2017) explicated that human resource management is concerned with all aspects of how people are employed and  managed  in  organisations.  Coyle-Shapiro,   Hoque,  Kessler,   Pepper,

Richardson and Walker (2013) defined human resource management as the art and science of coordinating activities within a firm, via a process of managerial decision-making, including areas such as finance, operations, sales and marketing, and human resources.

Human resource management is the process of managing people of an organization with a human approach. Human resources approach to manpower enables the manager to view the people as an important resource. It is the approach through which organization can utilize the manpower not only for the benefits of the organization but for the growth, development and self satisfaction of the concerned people. Human resource management skills are the skills required of a business owner to be able to control and ensure that people perform the task within their best capacity as individuals and to work well with others. Such skills are therefore necessary for creation and sustenance of self-employment in any nation. To be able to successfully manage the people and resources of any venture, the requisite skills of human resource management have to be supported with financial skills so that a lot of financial resources are not wasted in the course of managing resources in a business environment.

Financial management is at the heart of running a successful business. It affects every aspect, from managing cash flow and tracking business performance to developing plans that ensure that business owners can make the most of

opportunities. Juneja (2018) defined financial management to mean planning, organizing, directing and controlling the financial activities such as procurement and utilization of funds of the enterprise. Acquisition of financial management skills will assist business owners in applying general management principles to financial resources of the enterprise. According to the institute of cost and works accountants of India (2010), financial management is managerial activity which is concerned with the planning and controlling of the firm‟s financial resources. Paramasivan and Subramanian (2017) pinpointed that financial management is mainly concerned with the effective funds management in the business. Financial management is the application of the general management principles in the area of financial decision-making, namely in the areas of investment of funds, financing various activities, and disposal of profits (Engineering, 2017). Financial management skill is critical for putting a plan into practice. Financial management skills let business education graduates track and measure performances, identify problem areas and new opportunities, and minimise risks. Acquisition of financial management skills will aid a business owner in the areas of estimation of capital requirements, determination of capital composition, choice of sources of funds, investment of funds, disposal of surplus, management of cash and financial control. Apart from financial management skills, an enterprise owner needs skills

 

in the area of customer service to assist in gaining success in the business activities.

Doyle (2018) posited that customer service involves having a thorough knowledge of business inventory, experience with company‟s products, and being able to help customers make the best choices for them. Customer service is the act of taking care of the customer's needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met (Mckinney, 2018). According to Investopedia (2018), Customer service is the process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service. Often, customer service takes place while performing a transaction for the customer, such as making a sale or returning an item. Customer service can take the form of an in-person interaction, a phone call, self-service systems, or by other means. A self-employed person needs the afore-mentioned skills in order to wax in the achievement of business objectives which will in turn bring about national development.

National development as viewed by Bawa (2018) is a process of reconstruction and development in various dimensions of a nation and development of individuals. Lawal and Oluwatoyin (2011) described national development as the overall development or a collective socio-economic, political as well as religious advancement of a country or nation. National development is

the ability of a country or countries to improve the social welfare of the people by providing social amenities like quality education, potable water, transportation, infrastructure and medical care (Anonymous, 2014). One of the geo-political zones in Nigeria where people need to be provided with sound education and skills training that will aid individuals in self-employment and facilitate national development is South-West.

The South-West geo-political zone states engage in business of various forms ranging from local textile, crop production, poultry farming, manufacturing of soaps and detergent, manufacturing of leather footwear, pure water firms, dying of cloth. In these states (Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos), business activities are predominantly the occupation of people. There are Colleges of Education which are either owned by government or private individual. Those that are owned by government can either be owned by state or federal government and are established in order to cater for the educational needs of the people. Besides, the students are made up of male and female and the students used maximum of three years in the school. Also some of the students are from business background home and have acquired prerequisite training at their different homes and nothing to show for the knowledge acquired. This situation is suggestive of the fact that the graduates of business education still need certain relevant skills to facilitate smooth running of businesses and thereby be able to stand on their own and remain

economically productive to the nation and consequently reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.

The increasing incidence of unemployment and or under employment in Nigeria has called for rethink and thus requires development and impartation of skills in the youths who undergo business education programme. Njige (2018) asserted that youth unemployment is very serious in Nigeria and other Africa countries. In addition, Njige explained that Federal Government has commenced work on a programme plan termed “Youth Employment and Skills Development” so as to fight the menace of unemployment situation in Nigeria. Hence the self- employment skills needed for effectiveness in the job market is of utmost importance.