An assessment of employers' expectations to enhance the employability of university graduates in Namibia
| dc.contributor.author | Nepando, Victor P. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-05-16T07:28:58Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-05-16T07:28:58Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the master of business administration management strategy | |
| dc.description.abstract | The issue of university graduate employability is a universal challenge however severe in developing countries. Namibia is one such developing country that has challenges with graduate employability. This study was conducted to establish the employers' perceptions of graduate employability. The study sought to establish the employers' perceptions towards graduate employability, employers' views on the effectiveness of recruitment and selection methods to determine the skills of graduates, and to establish interventions that can be put in place to enhance graduates' employability. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory research design informed by interpretivism as the research philosophy underpinning the study. Out of a population of 69 employers, twenty purposively selected employers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide, which contained questions, aligned with the research objectives. Data were analyzed using a thematic data analysis technique. An Atlas ti software was used to analyse data. The following results were obtained. Employers perceived graduates to lack hands-on and soft skills. According to the employers, a lack of hands-on skills compromised productivity, and a lack of soft skills affected adjusting to the work environment and fitting into the team. The employers further indicated that a lack of these skills made the induction process long and costly to the organisation. The study established that recruitment and selection were aimed to select recruits who were then taken for induction, hence the selection process fails to determine the skills of the graduate. Finally, the study recommended the need for an inclusive approach to curriculum design, where all key stakeholders are part of the curriculum design process. The study also recommended enacting an attachment policy, which is inclusive and includes a module on soft skills in all courses. The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creations were requested to conduct a skills audit, to guide and inform tertiary institutions on the demand for skills. Universities would be informed of trades, which require additional skills. The study also raised the need to 4 counsel students during their final year at university. The study suggested further study involving all key stakeholders on the challenges of graduate employability so that an inclusive plan of action can be generated | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/3828 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of Namibia | |
| dc.subject | Employability | |
| dc.subject | Graduate | |
| dc.subject | Perceptions | |
| dc.subject | Interventions | |
| dc.subject | Curriculum | |
| dc.subject | Tertiary | |
| dc.title | An assessment of employers' expectations to enhance the employability of university graduates in Namibia | |
| dc.type | Thesis |