Survey on Employers Rating of University of Abuja Business Graduates Competencies in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper is a survey report employers’ rating of university of Abuja business (Unibuja) graduates competencies in Nigeria. The main objective of the study was to investigate the employer’s satisfaction rating of business graduates wherever they are working in Nigeria. The employers were asked to assess their satisfaction rating of graduate competencies using a five point Likert-scale. The survey covered all the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. All the University of Abuja Business Graduates between the years 2000-2010 were involved in the study. 1,150 questionnaires were distributed to chief executive officers or head of departments/units of the surveyed organizations, out of which 1,124 were completed and returned which accounted for 98% response rate. The study which adopted purposive sampling technique was analyzed using simple percentages, t-test and descriptive statistics to describe the satisfaction rating in line with the objectives of the study. Findings from the analysis reveal that, ”majority of the employers expressed satisfaction with Unibuja business graduates competencies particularly, in major competency areas like the ability and willingness of graduates to learn, energy and passion, teamwork and cooperation, leadership skills, administrative acumen, resourcefulness & initiative and flexibility & diligence of graduates on the job but however, expressed dissatisfaction with graduates research skills, mentoring and influence on others and quantitative skills”. Among the major recommendations is the need for government and other stakeholders in the Nigerian project to create more job opportunities for the teaming graduates languishing in the Nigerian labour market.

Keywords: Business, Competency, Graduates, Nigeria, Rating, Satisfaction