VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE PROVISION OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

ABSTRACT

Unemployment has become a major problem bedeviling the lives of Nigerian youth, causing increased militancy, violent crimes, kidnappings, unrest and socially delinquent behaviour. Youth unemployment is devastating to both the individual and the society as a whole both psychologically and economically. This study tried to examines the issue of youth unemployment and looks at potential interventions such as effective career guidance, vocational education. A number of recommendations were made which include that youths should be trained to possess skills which are congruent with real labour market demand, developing special focus on career guidance and counseling support in schools and introduction of Vocational education into the school curriculum.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and the eighth in the world with a population of over 140 million people (National Population Commission, 2006). Nigeria is the eighth largest oil producing country in the world, but it has the largest population of poor and unemployed people in sub-Saharan Africa and is ranked 158th on the human development index. There is a high-income inequality, which has perpetuated the concentration of wealth of the nation in the hands of a few individuals (Action Aid Nigeria, 2009). With a nominal GDP of $207.11 billion and per capita income of $1,401 it has the second largest economy in Africa. As remarkable as the above figures may seem youth unemployment has been one of the major problems facing the country. A high level of unemployment and underemployment is one of the critical socio-economic problems facing Nigeria (Salami, 2011). While the labor force grows, with an increasing proportion of youth, employment growth is insufficient to absorb labor market entrants. As a result, the youth are specifically affected by unemployment. Moreover, the youth are more likely to be employed in jobs of low quality, underemployed, working long hours for low wages, engaged in dangerous work