GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

This study was to investigate the vocational and entrepreneurial skills development for rural youths and the implications for grassroots development in Akwa Ibom State. Correlational survey design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in Akwa Ibom State and the population of the study consisted of all the rural youths that have undergone vocational and entrepreneurial skills. Stratified sampling technique was used in selecting 180 respondents. For this to be achieved, 4 local government areas were randomly selected from each of the 3 senatorial districts (Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts). From each local government areas 15 youths were randomly selected and used for the study. The instrument used for data collection in this study was a questionnaire titled "Vocational and Entrepreneurial Skills Development for Grassroots Development Questionnaire (VESDGDQ)". Face and content validation of the instrument was carried out by an expert in test, measurement, and evaluation to ensure that the instrument has the accuracy,  appropriateness, and completeness for the study under consideration. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.85, and this was high enough to justify the use of the instrument. The researcher subjected the data generated for this study to appropriate statistical techniques such as percentage analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Analysis. The test for significance was done at 0.05 alpha levels. From the result, it was observed that the level of grassroots development in Akwa Ibom Sate is very poor. It was also observed that there are various types of vocational and entrepreneurial skills engaged by the youths of Akwa Ibom States (Fashion Design, Auto Servicing Skills, Electrical Skills, Construction Service Skills, Shoe Crafting, Carpentry Skills and many more) though with very low extent of operations due to poor power supply. Finally, it was concluded that there is significant relationship between vocational entrepreneurial skills and grassroots development in Akwa Ibom State in a dwindling direction. One of the recommendations made was that government should make adequate provision of gainful vocational and entrepreneurial skill development programmes for the youths of Akwa Ibom State where the beneficiaries’ must be selected objectively and without any bias.