Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

SKILL GAP AND EMPLOYABILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES IN UGANDA

Kobugabe Rwomushana, Lilian (2024)
Department of Service Studies
Abstract
Uganda’s higher education system has come under pressure in the past few years.
Liberalisation of the education sector attracted numerous private players into higher education
provision, and making it commercialised. This has promoted that focus is shifted to the profit
motive away from the primary purpose of students attaining gainful employment upon
graduation.
The research seeks to emphasise the need for higher education institutions realignment of
study programs/ curriculum with the current labour market demands. The gap between theory
taught, labour market demands, and employability eventually needs to be urgently closed.
The key terms used in the research are employability, higher education and skill gap. A study
population... (More)
Uganda’s higher education system has come under pressure in the past few years.
Liberalisation of the education sector attracted numerous private players into higher education
provision, and making it commercialised. This has promoted that focus is shifted to the profit
motive away from the primary purpose of students attaining gainful employment upon
graduation.
The research seeks to emphasise the need for higher education institutions realignment of
study programs/ curriculum with the current labour market demands. The gap between theory
taught, labour market demands, and employability eventually needs to be urgently closed.
The key terms used in the research are employability, higher education and skill gap. A study
population of 15 purposely selected respondents (five fresh graduates, five human resource
professionals and five higher education institution staff) was used to collect data for the
research. Three main research questions are looked at; Why do graduates fail to get
employment? How does the Ugandan education system prepare graduates for the job market?
And finally; What needs to change for graduates to match the job market?
Hinged on an interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative research design was used mainly focusing
on available research documents analysis, face to face interviews and structured interviews.
Unlike previous research on graduate skill gap and employability that mainly lay emphasis on
skills and attributes this research takes the pedagogical perspective route. The research
explores how innovative pedagogy/curriculum positively impacts students educational
achievement and aid in the school to work transition. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Kobugabe Rwomushana, Lilian
supervisor
organization
year
type
L3 - Miscellaneous, Projetcs etc.
subject
language
English
id
9175832
date added to LUP
2024-10-02 11:26:00
date last changed
2024-10-02 11:26:00
@misc{9175832,
  abstract     = {{Uganda’s higher education system has come under pressure in the past few years.
Liberalisation of the education sector attracted numerous private players into higher education
provision, and making it commercialised. This has promoted that focus is shifted to the profit
motive away from the primary purpose of students attaining gainful employment upon
graduation.
The research seeks to emphasise the need for higher education institutions realignment of
study programs/ curriculum with the current labour market demands. The gap between theory
taught, labour market demands, and employability eventually needs to be urgently closed.
The key terms used in the research are employability, higher education and skill gap. A study
population of 15 purposely selected respondents (five fresh graduates, five human resource
professionals and five higher education institution staff) was used to collect data for the
research. Three main research questions are looked at; Why do graduates fail to get
employment? How does the Ugandan education system prepare graduates for the job market?
And finally; What needs to change for graduates to match the job market?
Hinged on an interpretivist paradigm, a qualitative research design was used mainly focusing
on available research documents analysis, face to face interviews and structured interviews.
Unlike previous research on graduate skill gap and employability that mainly lay emphasis on
skills and attributes this research takes the pedagogical perspective route. The research
explores how innovative pedagogy/curriculum positively impacts students educational
achievement and aid in the school to work transition.}},
  author       = {{Kobugabe Rwomushana, Lilian}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{SKILL GAP AND EMPLOYABILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES IN UGANDA}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}