GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

This study investigated the contribution of vocational education to employment opportunities of youth graduates in Akwa Ibom state. The population of this study consisted of youth graduates in Akwa Ibom State. The study adopted a descriptive survey design while stratified random sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents. Data was obtained using a research instrument titled “Contribution of Vocational Education to Employment Opportunities of Youth Graduates Questionnaire (CVEEOYGQ)”. Data obtained from respondents on the research questions were analysed using descriptive statistics and pearson product moment correlation analysis, while regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. It was concluded that there is significant relationship between vocational education and selfemployment of youth graduates. It was also concluded that vocational education has significant relationship with paid employment of youth graduates in Akwa Ibom State. Finally, there are various factors hindering hitch-free vocational education in Nigeria, including inadequate funding, low student enrolment, poor teaching/learning environment, shortage of qualified teachers, poor retraining policy, inadequate staff motivation, low societal estimation of VIE and lack of accrediting of courses. One of the recommendations was that the Nigerian government should invest enough money on vocational educational education to boast the programme in schools and colleges.