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54993 Bosire, Thomas M. and Prof. Kisilu Kitainge/ Elixir Edu. Tech 148 (2020) 54993-54998 Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com (Elixir International Journal) Educational Technology Elixir Edu. Tech 148 (2020) 54993-54998 Effect of Competency in Technical Skills Acquired on Labour Market Requirements in TVET Institutions in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya Bosire, Thomas M. and Prof. Kisilu Kitainge University of Eldoret. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: The problem of unemployment among the youth is a huge concern as majority of them Received: 13 October 2020; face significant difficulties engaging in productive employment, mainly due to a Received in revised form: mismatch of the competencies they possess to those required by the labour market. 16 November 2020; Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is one promising avenue in Accepted: 26 November 2020; addressing this problem. Kenya has identified the critical role of TVET in preparing, developing and updating the skills and competences to meet the needs of the changing Keywords industrial environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Technical skills competency in technical skills acquired on labour market requirements in Technical Competency Vocational Education and Training in Uasin Gishu County. The target population of the Acquisition study was 850 respondents comprising of 10 principals, 240 instructors and 600 TVET Labour market graduates. A sample size of 90 respondents was selected comprising of 6 principals, 24 instructors and 60 TVET graduates of the respondents. Stratified purposive and simple random sampling techniques was employed. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Cronbach‟s alpha co-efficient was used to ensure reliability of the research instruments. Data was analyzed using pearson product moment correlation. The study established that there was a significant positive and strong relationship between competency in technical skills acquired and labour market requirements (r= 0.565, p =0.000). The study concluded that TVETs competency level in technical skills acquired had significant influence on labour market requirements in TVETs in Uasin Gishu County. The Government needs to invest in training the youth to specifically meet the relevant industrial standards. In addition, practice of the skills learnt among the learners should be enhanced. This exposes the youth to the market before graduation and greatly elevates their competency levels. © 2020 Elixir All rights reserved. Introduction engaged in productive livelihoods. Employers remain With globalization comes the integration of skeptical of the youth being capable of applying the skills technological activities in all aspects of the professional they got from school to the practical challenges at work as realm, thus exposing the competency levels of the skills that they are deemed to lack the competencies in those skills that the youth possess. In view of the globally increasing are relevant to the work place. They are also adamant in competition, the role of vocational training has been made investing resources to train young people and would rather more decisive and this makes having higher skills necessary, hire adult workers who are unemployed but have experience. as nations require more productivity among workers in all The ILO (2004) reports that youth unemployment has sectors. During the past several decades, the mismatch risen rapidly over the past decade to reach 88 million between the skills imparted by the national education system worldwide, representing 47 percent of the 186 million in many countries and the world of work has become persons out of work worldwide in 2003. High rates of youth profoundly evident. Kaufman and Feldman (2004), argue that unemployment represent both widespread personal universities are supposed to not only produce responsible misfortune for individuals and a cost opportunity for critical professionals who can be absorbed virtually in all spheres of national and economic development. In the United States, human endeavors, but also to develop their intellectual Bishop (1994), after studying information on 2594 capabilities by imparting high level skills. In addition, companies, found that there was a marginal rate of return on universities are looked upon to facilitate manpower training the initial 3 months of training from the 2-year increase in of high level so that individuals can contribute to national employee productivity. After 100 hours of training, development, as expected of them. productivity increased between 11 percent (%) and 38 percent A study by UNESCO (2002) shows that with the (%). integration of modern technologies in almost every sphere of Bartel (2000) also found that training courses in 495 professional activities this mismatch has been aggravated, companies increased productivity by approximately 18 making the priority of most Governments be narrowing this percent (%) over 3 years. Ballot et al. (2006) found that gap because of the potential economic and social benefits to training increased value added per worker in France by 17.3 be derived from having a huge demographic of its population percent (%) and in Sweden by 7.3 percent (%). 54994 Bosire, Thomas M. and Prof. Kisilu Kitainge/ Elixir Edu. Tech 148 (2020) 54993-54998 In the United Kingdom, based on British industry data for In addition, vocational training in Kenya is deemed 1983–1996, Dearden et al. (2006) discovered that a 1 percent supplementary to university education, and therefore the (%) rise in work-related training increased added value per perception of TVET in Kenya is a downgrade form of hour by roughly 0.6 percent (%) and hourly wages by education. The rest are encouraged to seek TVET institutions approximately 0.3 percent. after not making the cut to university admissions. This makes King (2007) reports that surveys from studies done in it clear to the Kenyan youth that vocational education is not several countries such as Kenya, Zambia and Ghana among deemed as superior as attaining university education, and this others indicate high level skills being in shortage at the same notion has been there since time immemorial, greatly creating time as saturation of the labor market at other levels. Franklin a mindset that leaves young Kenyans desiring to “fit in” & Lytle (2015) states that it is approximated that out of the society by having degrees obtained in the universities and working age population of twenty-four million young very little or no determination to pursue vocational training. Kenyans, one in every six youth is jobless, yet with the Although the Government of Kenya has created many neighbouring states of Tanzania and Uganda it is estimated initiatives in a bid to promote the Small and Medium sized that out of twenty youth, only one is jobless. The rates are enterprises (SMEs), facilitating vocational and typically higher the younger the job seeker, reflecting the entrepreneurship education, and creating various funds to difficulties the youth face in making the transition to work. support youth training programs and initiatives, the problem This pattern is common in both advanced and developing of unemployability still persists. Otuki (2017) says that it is countries with the rates of unemployment gradually declining crucial to examine how vocational training in the country can and stabilizing as young adulthood is reached around 25 years be re-loaded and enhanced to make it more appropriate in of age. addressing youth unemployment, considering dominant The social pillar of Vision 2030 singles out education and activities in society and needs of learners. In addition, based training as the vehicle that will drive Kenya to achieve its on the current situation, it is necessary to develop a skills goal of becoming a middle-income economy, (Nyamweya inventory linked to a labor market information system that is 2018). Technical and Vocational education therefore become efficient and this will ensure that vocational training is a crucial indicator of achievement of Vision 2030‟s goals tailored to meet the demands of the labor market. There is (GoK, 2014). Technical Training Institutions need to be need for an urgent enhancement of interventions such as the included in the drafting process of the education curriculum Government and other stakeholders promoting the access to and share their insight on how Kenya can achieve this quality basic education. This will go a long way to equip the transformation in emphasizing on practical skills employment youth with the required competencies in technical skills for (GoK, 2010a, 2012a). better labour market outcomes. Job Selectiveness, skill imbalance and rapid growth of the Human Capital Theory labour force are some issues identified as fostering Human capital theories have developed rapidly since unemployment of the youth in Kenya (The Sessional Paper Mincer (1958, 1962), Schultz (1960, 1961), Becker (1962) No. 2, 1985). Individuals have different attitude towards and Ben-Porath (1967), laid their foundations. Since training various kinds of employment and that is what job is regarded as an investment, it involves costs and benefits, selectiveness can be associated with; informal jobs are met by which can be assessed by using financial criteria such as negative attitude among individuals with formal education present value and the internal rate of return. Initially, Becker (GoK, 1985). Omolo (2010) explains that people perceive the (1962) studied the impact on wage