Business Education and the Development of Employability Competencies among Undergraduates: Evidence from Tertiary Institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

The growing demand on work-ready graduates in Nigeria has brought issues that undergraduate business education often results in the imbalance of knowledge that may restrict the employability skills. The consistency of the curriculum material with the actual skill improvement is therefore very fundamental in graduate preparedness. The research used a descriptive cross-sectional survey design to determine the level of business education knowledge and employability skills among 103 undergraduate students in Anambra state in Nigeria. The overall age of participants was 15-17 years (51, 49.5-percent), female (72, 69.9-percent) and students studying at universities (81, 78.6-percent). The data were gathered online through Google Forms, and a structured questionnaire was adopted that included demographics, business knowledge, and employability skills, which were assessed with 4-point Likert scales. Descriptive statistics, robust M-Estimators, and non-parametric correlations (spearman rho = 0.604, p = 0.01) were included in the analyses. Voluntary participation, confidentiality and anonymous responses were ensured in ethical procedures, hence offering reliable evaluation of knowledge and competencies among the undergraduates. The knowledge of business education was unequal with the highest scores on accounting practices (Mean = 3.48) and marketing strategies (Mean = 3.17) and lower scores on management principles (Mean = 1.80) and business ethics (Mean = 1.63). The competencies and skills in employability were relatively high, particularly time management (Mean = 3.23), communication (Mean = 3.09), adaptability (Mean = 3.05), and teamwork (Mean = 3.03); collaborative skills were low (Mean = 1.66). The correlation of Spearman showed the moderate-strong positive correlation between business knowledge and employability (0.604, p < 0.01). The research concludes that the content of the curriculum and real-world skill-building programs are essential in equipping graduates with work preparation skills. The recommendations also involve specific interventions to strengthen areas of knowledge that are weaker and to enhance collaborative competencies thus facilitating holistic development of employability in undergraduates.