Utilisation of Social Media Platforms for Vocational Skills Learning Among Youth in Ogun State

This study examines how young people in Ogun State, South West Nigeria utilise social media platforms for vocational skills learning outside formal educational settings. The proliferation of platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram has created new channels through which young Nigerians access instructional content in areas including fashion design, catering, carpentry, and digital marketing. This informal learning dynamic warrants systematic study, especially in contexts where formal vocational education access is limited. A descriptive survey design is employed, targeting 250 youth aged 16 to 30 years in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Igbo, and Ota local government areas who self-identify as using social media for skills learning. A structured questionnaire measures platform preferences, frequency and duration of use, types of skills acquired, and perceived effectiveness compared to formal training. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are used. Findings are expected to reveal high engagement with video-based platforms for practical skill demonstration, driven by free access, flexibility, and peer validation. The study also examines whether social media skills learning correlates with entrepreneurial activity or employment outcomes. Recommendations include formalising social media learning pathways through micro-credentialling, integrating social media content into formal vocational curricula, and supporting creators who produce quality vocational educational content in Nigerian languages. This study contributes to informal learning research in Nigerian vocational education and opens dialogue on recognising diverse skills acquisition pathways. Keywords: social media, vocational skills learning, youth, Ogun State, informal education