Adequacy of Vocational Education Curriculum Content for Meeting Current Labor Market Demands in Osun State

This study evaluated the adequacy of vocational education curriculum content in meeting current labor market demands in Osun State, South West Nigeria. Curriculum relevance is central to the value proposition of vocational education, yet the Nigerian vocational curriculum has been criticized for lagging behind rapidly evolving industry requirements. A document analysis and survey design were combined, examining the current vocational curriculum alongside data from 60 employers and 120 recent graduates in Osun State's dominant economic sectors: agro-processing, fashion, construction, and ICT services. A curriculum-labor market alignment scoring tool was developed for the study. Results revealed significant misalignments in digital skills integration, safety compliance, and entrepreneurship competencies, while core practical skills in carpentry and tailoring were reasonably aligned. Employers expressed strong demand for graduates who could use digital design tools and manage small business finances, skills largely absent from the existing curriculum. The study recommends that the National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) constitute a labour market needs assessment panel for annual vocational curriculum review, and that Osun State supplement the national curriculum with state-level modules addressing local industry demands. Keywords: curriculum adequacy, labor market, vocational education, Osun State, curriculum alignment.