EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, WORK ATTITUDE AND JOB COMMITMENT: PERCEPTION OF NIGERIAN YOUTHS

I Ekpe; J. A. Nzemeka; G. O. Ofeimun; M. O. Adelaiye

I Ekpe Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Anchor University, Ayobo, P.M.B. 001 Ipaja P. O., Ipaja, Lagos State, Nigeria
J. A. Nzemeka Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Anchor University, Ayobo, P.M.B. 001 Ipaja P. O., Ipaja, Lagos State, Nigeria
G. O. Ofeimun Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences, Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, P.M.B. 101, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria
M. O. Adelaiye Department of Business Administration and Management, Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B. 0231, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria

Keywords: employability skills, attitude, job commitment.

Abstract

The major objective of this study was to examine the perception of undergraduate youths as to whether it was employability skills or attitude that had a greater effect on employees’ job commitment in Nigeria. This would enable the management of Nigerian Universities to develop better training policies, and the youths to prepare for the competitive work environment upon graduation. 262 students in their third year from three universities in the north and south regions of Nigeria were sampled through proportionate stratified random sampling. Employing descriptive statistics and regression methods, data were analyzed. Among others, the study found that Nigerian youths perceived that employability skills such as vocational and technical skills had a more critical influence on job commitment than attitude, with a beta of .297, p <01. Therefore, aside from the Entrepreneurial Development Program in our universities and other tertiary educational institutions, the Management of Nigerian universities should maintain wider industrial linkages with private training firms to give vocational and professional training to the undergraduates. On their part, the students should acquire employability skills, outside their universities, during holidays, or by way of an internship. This would give them self-confidence when approaching the competitive job market.