Technical and Vocational Education and Employability of Graduates in Enugu State: The Role of IMT Enugu

Technical and vocational education has been increasingly repositioned as a strategic national investment for addressing the employability deficit among tertiary institution graduates in Nigeria, where theoretical education systems have historically produced graduates ill-equipped for labour market demands. This study examines the relationship between technical and vocational education (TVE) and the employability of graduates from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. The study is anchored on the Human Capital Theory, which posits that investments in skill-specific education generate higher individual and societal returns through improved labour market participation and productivity. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed. The population comprised 2,100 IMT graduates from the 2019 to 2023 graduation cohorts, as well as employers of IMT graduates in Enugu State. A sample of 320 respondents was drawn using stratified random sampling across technical and management programmes. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and employer assessment forms, and analysed with descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Findings reveal that practical workshop training, industry attachment programmes, and certifiable technical skill acquisition are the TVE dimensions most powerfully predicting graduate employability, while theoretical coursework alone demonstrates minimal labour market value. The study further finds that employers rate IMT graduates with documented practical competencies 54 percent higher on employability metrics than those without such credentials. It is concluded that TVE-centred education, as practised at IMT Enugu, provides a credible and replicable model for graduate employability enhancement in Nigeria. The study recommends that IMT Enugu expand industry partnership agreements to increase practical placement opportunities and update technical curricula in alignment with emerging industry skill demands.

Keywords: Technical vocational education, employability, IMT Enugu, Human Capital Theory, graduate employment