Undergraduate Programmes and Employer’s Expectations in Benin City, Edo State

ABSTRACT

The aim of this research is to determine the gap between the various undergraduate programmes in Nigeria and the expectations of employers of labour.

The population of this study is made up of the management staff of University of Benin and that of University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Other members of the population include operators of transport firms, hotels managers and proprietors and principals of private schools in Ugbowo areas of Benin City. Simple Random Sampling Technique was used to select a sample of fifty (50) respondents. The data was analysed using SPSS IBM version 22.0.

The results of the studies shows that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between the various skills acquired in undergraduate programmes and the expectations of employers of labour, as it influences good communication skills by 58.1%. The results also shows that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between good managerial skills and employers expectations and finally there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between analytical skills and employers’ expectations. Based on the aforementioned; the researcher recommends that tertiary institutions in general, must ensure that the skills acquired at undergraduate programmes meet the expectations of employers of labour by improving on their curriculum.