Abstract

This study addresses institutional variables as determinants of employability skills acquisition among undergraduates in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, Nigeria. Three research hypotheses were posed to guide the study. A descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. The population comprised of final year students in Faculty of Education at the University of Calabar numbered 904 and University of Uyo 939 respectively. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select data and a sample of 108 was drawn from University of Calabar and 112 drawn from the University of Uyo. A self-structured rating scale titled “Students’ Employability Skills Acquisition Scale (SEASAS). Face and content validity of the instrument was done by supervisor and experts, Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient range were .73-.92. Hypotheses were analyzed using t-test (population and independent t-tests) and one-way analysis of variances (ANOVA), hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study revealed among others: institutional variables on the levels of employability skills after their years in various programmes were not significantly low. Based on the findings, it was however recommended among others that; employability skills studies should be embedded in the university curriculum, university authority should make programmes of study more elaborate and rich in content to equip students with skills. Academic programmes in the universities irrespective of the school-age and terms of conditions should also be given basic priorities.

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