ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to determine “the role of skills acquisition programme on the socio economic empowerment of youth in Egor local government area Edo state”. Three research questions were raised. What are the existing skills acquisition programmes in Egor Local Government Area. How do skills acquisition programmes contribute to the socio-economic empowerment of youth in Egor Local Government Area. What are the challenges faced by youth in participating in the skills acquisition programmes.
The total population to be used for this study will be all the youth in Egor Local Government Edo State who have acquired one skill or the other and already making use of the acquired skill to earn a living to support themselves and family. The sample size selected for this study was one hundred (100) youths who have acquired a skill and currently using that skill to earn a living for his/herself in Egor Local Government Area. The researcher will adopt purposive sampling to select the youth suitable for this study. The reason for adopting purposive sampling technique for this study is because purposive sampling technique is suitable in selecting the respondents with the following characteristics: youths that have acquired one particular or another, using the acquired skills, established a business due to the skill acquired, willing to participate in the research. Simple random technique will be used to select youths that will participate in this study. This technique was to give the respondents equal chance of being selected. A total of one hundred youth were used for the study. Questionnaires were the major instrument used for collecting data for the study. The questionnaire were made up of section ‘A’ and ‘B’ while section ‘A’ contained the bio data of the respondents, section ‘B’ to elicit data on the research questions raised. The reliability of the instrument was determined through test-retest procedure. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, mean score and simple percentages.
Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations were made; There should be a comprehensive assessment of the specific skill needs and potential areas of growth within the Egor Local Government Area. This assessment should involve consultations with local community leaders, youth organizations, and relevant stakeholders to identify the most relevant skills that align with local economic opportunities. There should be a tailored skills acquisition curriculum designed to meet the identified needs of youth in Egor Local Government Area. This curriculum should prioritize practical skills that have high demand in the local job market, such as agribusiness, vocational trades, digital literacy, and entrepreneurial skills. There should be targeted outreach and awareness campaigns to ensure that youth in Egor Local Government Area are aware of the availability and benefits of participating in skills acquisition programs. These campaigns should utilize various communication channels, including social media, community meetings, and local media outlets, to reach a wide audience.
