AUTEUR : Anuchebua Veronique Nkimih

University of Douala

Contact : verankimih@yahoo.com

RESUME

Introduction: Employability skills training are essential strategies to improve the skills of the labour force in order to minimize unemployment rates. These achieved skills will enable graduates to either gain employment from companies or become independent contractors, sole proprietors of businesses as well as engage in partnerships. The Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College provides these training and more to her student-teachers. These training and lifelong learning are fundamental in preparing them not only for teaching but also for other job opportunities in the economy especially given that they are private candidates in the institution. Objective/purpose: The objective of this study was to critically examine the impact of the training offered to private student-teachers and recruitment options available for graduates of the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College of Kumba. Therefore, the study purposefully examined the perceptions of the educators, employers, and recent graduates regarding the role of employability skills training and the available job opportunities. The study also identified the factors that facilitates and improve training in the various departments as well as increase the employability of the graduates from the institution. Again, the study focussed on employers perceptions on the skills of these graduates. The Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework for this study was based on the Career Construction Theory proposed by Savickas (2005), which emphasizes a learner-focused process model for developing employability. It also engaged on the development of learners’ personality, characteristics, motivations, and experiences by using the information processing capabilities of managing and creating jobs. Design/methodology/approach: The study’s population was 417 with a sample of 350 graduate private student-teachers enrolled in the fourteen Departments, 42 lecturers (3 per department) of the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College of kumba and 25 managers of small and medium size enterprises in the South west and Littoral Regions of Cameroon. A questionnaire and interview guides were conceived to gather perceptions from the graduates, the educators and the employers. For quantitative data, employability skills training received was measured by descriptive analysis using SPSS to assess questionnaire stability and thematic analyses for qualitative data. The chi-square test was used to test the significant relationship between educational profile and their employment status after graduation. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that the training programs are very rich and accommodating in improving the skills and reducing unemployment among the graduates, but unfortunately, the employment opportunities or options are not readily available. The educators and recent graduates strongly agreed that the programs are highly impacting and skills oriented but the graduates do not have enough capital to be self-employed or engage in partnership businesses. However, employers perceived that employability skills training were inadequate in some fields while others attested that the graduates were over qualified for the available jobs. Additionally, the findings revealed that employability skills training received by the recent graduates are very relevant for workers in the labour force. Furthermore, the findings identified the most integral skills that recent graduates of the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College of Kumba should possess to obtain employment in the competitive job market as perceived by educators, employers, and recent graduates such as discipline, integrity, interpersonal skills, professionalism, creativity and innovation, teamwork, lifelong learning, ability to apply knowledge in their different areas of specialisation. Research, Practical & Social implications: The results of this study showed that the employability skills training received by graduates seeking for employment in enterprises were well designed by the institution to improve recruitment outcomes and employability skills within the enterprises. It also revealed that most of the graduates face difficulties in gaining employment commensurate with the training, as such the Higher Technical Teachers’ training College has deigned more training programs to fit the demand of the job market. Originality/value: The research value of this study is that it can positively grow the management and business domain, it has beneficial effects on both the working and jobless private graduates of the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College Kumba, with a greater impact on increasing sole proprietorship and partnership engagements. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that employability skills training programs are essential economic strategies for improving the skills of recent private graduates of the institution. The training acquired squarely responds to the challenging needs imposed by this permanently evolving labour market. This means that graduates smooth transition and being maintained in a gainful job position in today’s labour market could be hampered if they are not in possession of the right skills.

MOTS CLES

Training, employability, graduate, skills, employment, student-teacher