Higher Education Research 2017; 2(1): 18-21 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/her doi: 10.11648/j.her.20170201.14 Skill Development in Vocational and Technical Education for Graduates Employability in Tertiary Institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria Festus Chukwunwendu Akpotohwo * , Alfred-Jaja, Stella Wellington-Igonibo, Cletus Ogeibiri Department of Vocational and Technology Education, Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Nigeria Email address: drfestusakpotohwo@gmail.com (F. C. Akpotohwo) * Corresponding author To cite this article: Festus Chukwunwendu Akpotohwo, Alfred-Jaja, Stella Wellington-Igonibo, Cletus Ogeibiri. Skill Development in Vocational and Technical Education for Graduates Employability in Tertiary Institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Higher Education Research. Vol. 2, No. 1, 2017, pp. 18-21. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20170201.14 Received: October 25, 2016; Accepted: December 8, 2016; Published: January 10, 2017 Abstract: This descriptive survey study investigated the skill development in vocational and technical education for graduates’ employability in tertiary institutions. The design of the study was survey design. The study was carried out in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Three purposes of study and three corresponding research questions guided the study. The sample for the study was 200 made up of students in the Departments of vocational and technical education in two (2) tertiary institutions in the study area. A structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The findings show that personal reliability and economic adaptability are skills needed by graduates for employability in tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made; the content of skill vocational programme in the Nigerian high institutions should be made more practical than theoretical so that graduate can be self-employed rather than seeking for white collar jobs. This finding should be made available to tertiary institutions in the state and country at large to serve as blueprint for policy makers and curriculum planners. Keywords: Skill Development, Vocational and Technical Education, Graduates, Employability, Tertiary Institutions 1. Introduction Nevertheless, vocational education has sometimes become a tool for addressing the economic, political, and social crises that are threatening the political and economic stability of some nations. Rising unemployment, lack of skilled workers, high dropout rates, and the changing demographic nature of the work force have placed the issue of workforce education high on the educational reform agenda [7]. Traditionally, vocational education has prepared students for specific skills. However, in the post-Taylorist work environment, workers are expected to perform more broadly- defined jobs [8]. Therefore, a broad-based education is required. In the new economic environment, vocational education is expected to produce an educated, skilled, and motivated work force [9]. The economic argument in favor of vocational education is linked to the perceived need to orient the formal educational system to the needs of the world of work [10]. It is based on the assumption that economic growth and development are technology-driven and human capital-dependent. Skill acquisition vocational education prepares learners for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic and totally related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation, hence the term. Bayode cited Uwaifo [1], stated that vocational and skill acquisition education is geared towards the production of the educated man who can effectively with his head, heart and hands towards the development of the economy, while the National Policy on Education states that the objectives of vocational and technical education are: (1) To acquire vocational and technical skills. (2) To expose students to career awareness by exposing usable options in the world of work. (3) To enable youths to have an intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology. Uwaifo [1], has opined that a well-structured skill acquisition and vocational programme will assist the