Basic employability skills of final-year undergraduate science and economics education students of a University in Nigeria

Abstract

The employers of labour often express concerns that graduates lack the essential skills required to meet the demands of contemporary jobs. The study, therefore, examines the fundamental employability skills that Science and Economics Education students possess. A mixed-methods design involving quantitative and qualitative data collection processes was employed using a sample of 185 final-year students of science and economics education. Two instruments used for the study were a rating scale and an interview. A reliability index of 0.828 was achieved through Cronbach's Alpha for the rating scale. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive methods, while thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. The findings of the study showed that the students possessed teamwork/collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making skills. The findings suggest that teachers should encourage the development of these skills during instruction by assigning tasks that challenge students, fostering teamwork, and promoting critical and creative thinking.