Employers’ Perception of Hiring Graduates of Vocational Education

Abstract

While developing countries are striving to install a strong technical and vocational system in response to changes in technology and emerging jobs that require contemporary skills and unforeseen challenges, the Ethiopian system is in short supply for employers. It has left many graduates unemployed for several months and years. This study examined the perception of employers in hiring graduates from technical and vocational institutions in Addis Ababa, using a convergent parallel mixed method. Data collected from randomly selected 228 subjects (42 employers and 186 employees) through a semi-structured interview guide and self-administered questionnaire were analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics techniques. The study found that though employers have an understanding of the sub-sector, they tend not to hire graduates for reasons of incompetence, the complex nature of hiring, a lack of holistic knowledge of occupational areas, and employers’ belief that graduates from the technical and vocational stream are prepared for self-employment rather than wage employment. The effort of training providers, authorities in the sub-sector, and policymakers in improving awareness of employers and the community at large remained weak.