Factors influencing employability of technical and vocational education and training graduates in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

Employment is a critical factor in the socio-economic development of a nation. All else constant, Technical and Vocational Education and Training is an essential aspect of training with the potential to create employment. However, overwhelming evidence shows that most TVET graduates cannot secure employment. This study aimed to assess the factors that influence the employment of TVET graduates in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The objectives were to: Examine whether matching the training offered in TVET institutions with the industry expectations influence the employment of TVET graduates; determine the influence of TVET institutions' collaboration with the industries on the employment of TVET graduates; investigate whether the availability of workshop and laboratory facilities in TVET institutions influence the employment of TVET graduates and; establish the extent to which gender equality influences employment of TVET graduates. A mixed-method research approach and a descriptive survey research design were adopted. Human Capital Theory by Becker (2009) guided the study. The target population comprised 31 TVET institutions, 360 TVET graduates, and 110 industry experts. The techniques used were stratified sampling and simple random sampling to obtain the samples. The data collection instruments included questionnaires, interview schedules, and document analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS. The qualitative data were analyzed by presenting themes that emerged. The study's findings were that the majority of the respondents strongly disagreed with the idea that training offered in TVET institutions matched the industry expectations. The qualitative findings supported this finding where the TVET graduates thought they were not competent. The majority of the respondents disagreed that TVET institutions collaborated with the industries. These findings were also supported by qualitative findings that TVET graduates lacked adequate collaboration with the industries through industrial attachments, internship programs, and workshop and laboratory facilities sharing. Also, most of the respondents strongly agreed that the availability of workshop facilities promotes employment. The results were supported by qualitative findings that the inadequate workshop and laboratory facilities caused the unemployment of the TVET graduates. The majority of the graduates strongly agreed that employers were gender-biased in employment. Qualitative findings supported the respondents' belief that no government policies had been implemented to ensure strict adherence to gender equality in employment. Regression analysis noted a significant positive relationship (r > 0; p < 0.05) between employment and: Matching the training offered in TVET institutions with the industry expectations; TVET institutions' collaboration with the industries; availability of workshop and laboratory facilities in TVET institutions, and lastly; gender equality. The study concluded that for the TVET graduates to be employed in the industries, TVET institutions should: Match their training to industry expectations, collaborate with industries, avail workshop and laboratory facilities, and ensure gender equality. The study recommended that TVET institutions match their training to industry expectations, collaborate with industries, avail workshops and laboratory facilities, and observe gender equality during the enrolment of trainees.