ENHANCING ENGINEERING GRADUATES’ EMPLOYABILITY THROUGH INDUSTRY-RELEVANT TRAINING AND PLACEMENT

This study aims to enhance the employability of engineering graduates by focusing on industry-relevant training and strategic placement. It addresses the significant gap between the skills of engineering graduates in developing nations and the technical needs of industries. Many industries often express dissatisfaction with the readiness of new engineering graduates due to a lack of essential technical skills, primarily resulting from inadequate training during and after graduation. To assess this issue, the research involved a comprehensive demographic survey of 60 industries within the Agbara Industrial Estate in Ogun State. This survey evaluated their hiring criteria and their absorption of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) engineering graduates. Additionally, an online questionnaire was distributed to 340 engineering corps members to understand their primary assignment locations. The findings reveal that many engineering graduates are not placed in industries, and many often find themselves in roles unrelated to their field of study. Furthermore, a significant number of corps members are deployed to non-engineering locations or educational institutions. The study highlights the critical need for well-structured and supervised industrial training during internships. It advocates for assigning all engineering graduates to industry-related fields during the one-year NYSC service programme to equip them with the necessary skills for successful employment. This strategic approach is essential for enhancing their employability and effectively bridging the gap between academic training and industry demands.