Employers’ Expectation of Computer Technology Skills Required of Business Education Graduates from Colleges of Education in Rivers State

Abstract

This study examined employers’ expectation of computer technology skills required of business education graduates from colleges of business education in Rivers State. To achieve the main purpose of the study, two research questions were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted to elicit responses from a sample of 100 employers of business education graduates and 200 business education graduating students drawn out of the population of 150 employers and 345 business education final year students respectively during the 2019/2020 academic session. Data collected using checklist and questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency count, percentage and bar chart. The findings reveal that employers of business education students in Rivers State expect the graduates to have high skills in the following computer application areas: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Desktop Publishing, Databases, Computer Networking, Website Application, POS Application, Payroll Application and Computer Internet. The findings also reveal that business education students rated their competency level in these computer application skills as low. These show that there is a gap between the expectation of the employers and the computer technology skills of business education graduates. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were put forward among others: employers of business education graduates should collaborate with the National Commission for Colleges of Education to review the curriculum content for computer application areas in business education to cover skills in areas needed for their productivity. Business education students who have already graduated and are lacking in the various computer technology skills highlighted in this study should endeavour to embark on personal development in order to develop such skills needed for employability.