Australian Journal of Education and Learning Research SCIE Journals Australian Society for Commerce Industry & Engineering www.scie.org.au 1 Vocational Education: A Transformative Agenda for Curbing Unemployment Rate in Edo State. Nigeria Robinson Osarumwense Owenvbiugie (Corresponding author) Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin. Nigeria E-MAIL: rowenvbiugie@gmail.com Tel: +234-8033944317 Prof. Lawrence E. Ekpenyong Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin. Nigeria Tel: +234-8035856009 Abstract The study determined the extent skills obtained in business education, Fine and Applied Art, Home Economics, Agriculture Science, and Industrial Technical Education programmes can help in curbing unemployment rate in Edo State, Nigeria. Five research questions were raised and answered with descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. The study adopted a survey research design. A sample of 264 respondents was used for the study. Cronbach Alpha was used to compute the reliability of the instrument and yielded 0.72. A structured questionnaire containing 66 - item statement was used to solicit for information. The data collected revealed that skills acquired in five programme areas in vocational and technical education are capable of reducing unemployment in Nigeria. Based on these findings, it was recommended that appropriate government department and vocational and technical education institutions‟ administrators should obtain and maintain information about accurate labour projection in both public and private sectors. Keywords: vocational education, skills, unemployment 1. Introduction There is growing evidence that the transition from school to work, which forms a significant phase in the maturation of young people, is being delayed by a period of prolonged unemployment. Employment or any other form of socially acceptable work, according to Winefield (2010) represents the initiation of young people into the world of work. It is so because through employment, the vast majority of people no longer completely depend on others for financial support. In a state of active employment, most people begin to nurture a sense of responsibility, such as being punctual to work, industrious, meticulous at doing things and earnest evaluation of things done or words spoken. Employment according to Bayat (2009) is a powerful and imaginative activity to satisfy certain material and mental needs. It is a major element in human life, as it relates to human construct, all forms of wealth around us and every element of civilization and progress (Okala, 2010). From the beginning of human history, it has been through work that man has provided himself with the necessities of life. Work or any other income generating engagement, in accordance with the laws of the land, is closely related with the social and psychological development of man. In a philosophical analysis of work carried out by Okun (2010), work (paid or self employed) was described as the fundamental condition of human existence. Work is man‟s strongest tie with reality. This implies that it is almost impossible to think of what it means to be human without thinking of work. In another related study on unemployment by Liebow (2007), work was also described as man‟s admission ticket to society and the absence of work is the denial of that ticket. The absence of work tells a man that he has no productive contribution to make to the society. The absence of work is unemployment, a period when a person is not engaged in any productive activity (Okala, 2010). All over the world unemployment rates have continued to grow at alarming