TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IDEALS: THE MISSING LINK

Abstract

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been identified as the bedrock of any meaningful economic development as they ensure increased entrepreneurial activities, employment generation, poverty reduction and enhanced standard of living for the people. Successive administrations in Nigeria have made consistent investments in support of the growth of SMEs. The Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions that prepare the manpower which is used to ensure the development and growth of SMEs is one of such efforts. Despite these facts, Nigeria is still gripped by widespread unemployment, poverty, underemployment and generally poor economic performance. This paper sought to determine the missing link between TVET and SMEs ideals  under the following subheads: Introduction, the characteristics and economic importance of SMEs, government contributions to the growth of SMEs, the goals of TVET and the strategies for achieving them, the relationship between TVET and SMEs, the challenges/missing link and the way forward. After a critical review of the growth of SMEs in Nigeria  in relationship to TVET programmes, it was found that TVET institutions are beset with numerous challenges which are affecting the quality and quantity of graduates they turn out for the operation of SMEs. The challenges include poor funding, poor image of TVET programmes and their graduates among Nigerians, dearth of qualified and competent TVET teachers and lack of relevant training equipment and many others. The following recommendations among others, aimed at repositioning TVET to play its vital roles effectively were therefore advanced. They include: the agencies and operators of SMEs should meaningfully collaborate with TVET institutions in the training of TVET students, continuous and mandatory professional and entrepreneurial development should be instituted for TVET teachers while their welfare should be reviewed and made more attractive, and innovative instructional and evaluation techniques should be adopted by TVET teachers.