BRIDGING THE GAP IN MANPOWER NEEDS OF NIGERIA THROUGH TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING WORK PLACE PARTNERSHIP

Abstract

The need for an effective partnership between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and the work place practices calls for more efforts aimed at a smooth transition from classroom theory into work place habits and industry. In spite of all efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria at producing graduates of secondary and tertiary education who are ready for employment and the industry, skill gaps persist among the graduates making them unemployable and not ready for the industry. This paper therefore discusses the emerging issues and problems that continue to cause the skill gaps and addresses expected global best practices in School-Industry Partnership aimed at bridging the skill gaps to meet the manpower needs of Nigeria. The paper concludes that a functional TVET-Work Place Partnership holds the key to skilled manpower to drive Nigeria’s economy in this era of declining employment opportunities and increasing graduate turn out.