Skills Development: Vocational Education
in the Islamic Countries
29
(2017), self-esteem and confidencewas highly improved and graduate felt that theywere better
able to relate well with their colleagues at work and in meeting challenges. His study also
showed that entrepreneurial skills like marketing skills, book keeping, setting up small
businesses and personal saving skills. According to this studywe can deduce that TVET has had
a positive implication towards the improvement of social setup of the citizens of Mukuru.
Table1.4: Contribution of TVET sector in socioeconomic setting
Factors Positive implication of TVET
Social factors
Development of Self-awareness
Good time management skills
Improved interpersonal relations
Good problem solving skills
Improved self-esteem
Increased confidence
Economic factors
Leads to Self-employment
Job related skills that lead to employability
From economic perspective, Sigu (2017's) study showed that almost 65 percent of the youth
graduates from TVET institution between 2011 and 2015 were either employed or self -
employed. These findings show that the skilled acquired fromTVET institutions are alignedwith
the job market, thus having high chances of being employed.
Finally, lack of funds have remained a major setback to the full development of the creative
potential of many TVET graduates as many lack chance to study the courses and the graduates
lack the funds and capital to start their own entrepreneurship businesses. As a number of TVET
graduate increases- so is the increase in job market, leaving many unemployed leading to
increase country’s poverty line. Funding in terms of short term loans will help TVET gr aduates
initiate their own job without relying on job seeking.
In conclusion, development of TVET sector is seen to have a great implication to the
development of an individual as well as the nation. It prepares individuals towards job market
while equipping them with social life long skills that will help them live in a harmonious
environment with their workmates. Thus, the contribution of TVET sector in socioeconomics
should not be overlooked as it has a positive implication to the development of the nation at
large.
1.8. Critical Factors for Bridging the Gap between Vocational Education and Labor
Market
1.8.1. Introduction
Vocational education and training (VET) is essentially concernedwith ‘applied learning’: that is,
with the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values and ethics appropriate for the world of work to
increase opportunities for productive work, sustainable livelihoods, personal empowerment
and socio-economic development (Jayaram, Munge, Adamson, Sorrell, & Jain, 2017, p. 24 ).
There is a strong link between Vocational Education (VE) and labour market glob ally. A
substantial amount of study reported about this relationship (Agrawal & Agrawal, 2017;
Weßling, Hartung, & Hillmert, 2015). It is now well-known and well reported in the literature