The role of regional horticulture Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the graduates’ employability and employment outcomes : Insights from Ethiopia

Abstract

The Ethiopian government organized Regional Horticulture TVET Programs (RHTPs) to counteract the lack of skilled workers and entrepreneurs in the horticulture sector. However, studies on the effectiveness of these programs is limited and largely on a national level. The role of the regional level context is scarcely considered. Hence, the central question of this research is: How do factors regarding economic, social and cultural capital impact the effectiveness of regional horticulture TVET programs in employability and employment outcomes of Ethiopian horticulture TVET graduates in comparison with national TVET studies? The considered three capitals (economic, social and cultural) are part of the academic literature which are vital assets for employment. Various factors based on the three capitals were considered to analyse the effectiveness of RHTPs in training competent employability skills and providing the necessary employment services for TVET graduates. Following a single case study design, the focus of this research was a TVET (regional) college, located in the Oromia region. 54 participants were interviewed from four stakeholder groups: TVET graduates, TVET associates, federal Ethiopian government and private horticulture enterprises. The data was analysed using the Constant Comparative Method (CCM) which was appropriate for comparing the data of the different stakeholders, and regional with national results. In line with prior literature, this research indicates that employability promotes the graduates’ competition in the labour market while employment is promoting immediate access to employment prospects. Several differences appear among RHTPs and results from national TVET studies regarding the employability and employment outcomes. Going beyond prior studies, considering the cultural capital related to employability outcomes two factors cause the skills mismatch among RHTPs in the Oromia region; the federal government is not creating awareness among enterprises when establishing the Occupational Standards, and RHTPs are not uniformed and do not operate with a holistic approach. Further differences were found in aspects of the knowledge transfer from vocational teachers to students. Regarding the employment outcomes in the formal sector considering the economic context, differences were found in the long bureaucracy processes for employment and the employment services which resemble in lack of employment opportunities. No differences were found regarding the employment outcomes in the formal sector in the context of social capital. Finally yet importantly, regarding economic capital and self-employment, land lease is a hindering factor in the Oromia region for entrepreneurship among TVET graduates. This research increased insights into factors which are important for the effectiveness of RHTPs in the Oromia region to successfully train students with the relevant employability skills and providing the necessary employment services to easily realize employment among TVET graduates. It has also raised the importance of the collaboration between the approached stakeholders to address the factors which challenge the effectiveness of RHTPs in the Oromia region. Such collaboration will make TVET graduates more attractive in the labour market and boost their opportunities for obtaining a job. More research will be needed to close the gap of the skills mismatch and to make the employment system more efficient.