Generic Skills Acquisition and Employability of Accounting Education Graduates in Rivers State.
This study investigated the relationship between generic skills acquisition and employability of Accounting Education graduates in Rivers State. The research adopted correlation research design. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised one hundred and forty (140) Accounting Education graduates working in Rivers State. The entire population was studied due to its manageable size. Two sets of structured questionnaires titled ‘Generic Skills Acquisition of Accounting Education Graduates Questionnaire (GSAAEGQ) and Employability Level of Accounting Education Graduates Questionnaire (ELAEGQ) were developed on a 4-point rating scale of High =4point, Moderate =3point, Low =2point and Very Low =1point, by the researchers. The instrument was validated by two experts from Business Education Department and one in Measurement and Evaluation. To determine the reliability of the instrument, a test-retest method was adopted and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used to determine the reliability coefficient of 0.81. One hundred and forty (140) copies of the instrument were administered to the respondents personally by the researchers and two research assistants, and duly retrieved after filling. The data generated from the instrument were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation to answer the research questions and also to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that communication skill, critical thinking skill, and problem-solving skill have positive relationship with employability of Accounting Education graduates in Rivers State. Conclusion drawn from the study was that generic skills are important in ensuring the employability and marketability of Accounting Education graduates in Rivers State. Based on the findings the researchers recommended that authorities concerned for higher institutions, irrespective of its size, have a duty to create an enabling environment for students’ acquisition of generic skills as a means to enhance employability of Accounting Education graduates in Rivers State.
Keywords: Generic skills, Employability, Accounting Education, Critical Skills.
