Mechanisms for Enhancing Employability Skills Among Students Within Vocational Education Training Institutions in Tanzania

This study explores the mechanisms for enhancing employability skills within vocational education and training institutions in Tanzania. The rationale: vocational education graduates do not demonstrate adequate levels of employability skills. This study identified through literature review eight employability skills attributes: communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, initiative and enterprise, self-management, planning and organising skills, information communication and technology (ICT) skills and technical skills to guide the study conceptualisation. The study employed a mixed research approach where 140 respondents (principals, teachers and students) participated. Findings show that interactive teaching methods, the key to enhancing employability skills, are less applied in vocational education institutions. The commonly used methods are seminar presentations and workshops. Likewise, the conceptualisation of employability skills is diverse, with some participants relating them as entrepreneurship skills and others as technical skills. Students demonstrate competencies at the intermediate level almost across the study skills attributes. For the ICT skills, they demonstrate competencies at the beginner level. This study recommends vocational education training institutions explore more mechanisms for preparing students along the study attributes by using sustainable interactive teaching methods. Vocational education actors need an orientation towards the broader conceptualisation of employability skills. Study recommendations and areas for further research are further highlighted.