The impact of COVID-19 on Economy and Employment – Main highlights on worldwide trends (Published)
The present paper discusses the economic features of the current Covid-19 outbreak and its relation to labor markets and new skills in demand. It mainly focuses in analysing the recent global trends in affected sectors, examines the current unemployment issues while deepens in the kind of new skills and soft skills in demand that are necessary for an easier transition to the new Covid-19 way of life.
Keywords: COVID-19, Economy, Employment, Skills, coronavirus, labor markets, pandemic
Academic Factors and Graduate Employability in Nigeria (Published)
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of academic factors on graduate employability in Nigeria, a case study of Calabar, Cross River State. To achieve this objective, two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. An accidental sampling technique was used in the selection of the samples. A total of 150 respondents were used for the study. The major instrument for data collection was a four-point Likert scale questionnaire titled Academic Factors and Graduate Employability Questionnaire (AFGEQ). It was designed by the researcher with the aid of five research experts to establish its validity and reliability. The split-half method of reliability was used to test the reliability. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and Spearman Brown Prophesy Formula coefficient derived after correlating the outcomes were 0.789 and .882 respectively. Data collected was subjected to statistical test at 0.05 level of significance. The hypotheses were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result of the analyses showed that academic discipline significantly influences graduate employability while academic achievement does not significantly influence graduate employability. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others, that the curriculum should reformed and made universal to provide students of higher institutions with the requirements of contemporary labour market. It was also recommended that there should be a de-emphasis on certificate education in place of skill-oriented training.
Keywords: Academic Factor, Employment, Graduate, Nigeria, Self-employment