IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME) e-ISSN: 2320–7388,p-ISSN: 2320–737X Volume 6, Issue 1 Ver.III (Jan. - Feb. 2016), PP 29-33 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/7388-06122933 www.iosrjournals.org 29 | Page Universities and Emerging careers: Its implication on training *Elizabeth Jelagat Murey 1 , Linnah Koyiano 1 and Dr Razia Mbaraka 1 1 Moi University, P.O Box 3900, Eldoret-Kenya Abstract: The emergence of new career options in the labour market arising from the rapidly changing job requirements among employers has placed institutions of higher learning on microscopic and telescopic radar. This is slowly bringing about anxiety and agitation for immediate solutions. A red flag has been raised to institutions of higher learning for failing to meet the demand of these emerging career choices while casting doubt on their ability to deliver. The thirst and quest for job fulfillment among employers and job seekers continues to draw a divergent equilibrium pattern in the job market analysis. The question at hand is whether institutions of higher learning have the capacity to offer solutions to the rapidly changing job requirement needs arising from demand for these emerging careers? The objectives of this paper is to critically explore the role of university instructors in meeting the dynamic labour market demand arising from emerging careers. Further, the implication of these emerging careers is discussed. The study is analytical and comprises secondary data which was collected from books, periodicals, journals, literature reviews and content analysis. The paper concludes that; university instructors have to continuously update their pedagogical skills to meet the dynamic labour demands; professional development is a requisite for instructors in order to familiarize themselves with changing labour demands and above all, they must have a deep subject mastery. The paper recommends that for university instructors to effectively deliver, industry/institute relationship has to be deeply strengthened. Instructors on the other hand have to take a proactive role in keeping themselves abreast with the latest technology in the industry Key Words: Emerging careers, Job requirement, Labour market demand, university instructors I. Introduction There is no doubt that no specialized training can nowadays suffice a preparation for a career. Education is continuous processes and therefore personnel have to always update their skills. The acquisition of these specialized training is coupled with many challenges. World Bank (2008) notes that „virtually all nations today, rich and poor alike, find themselves in the clutches of deepening educational crises‟. It is in essence a crisis of maladjustment of disparities taking many forms-between educational systems and their environment‟. In this respect, the work environment in institutions of higher learning where students get most of the theoretical skills differs significantly from that of the real work environment in which most students will eventually be required to function. The need for real work experience means that institutions of higher learning have to strengthen their relations with the industry if these goals have to be achieved. More so the training in these institutions has to meet the current global market requirements. However the challenge is that „instructors ; the conduits by which the „stuff of learning‟ gets piped into the classroom may not be abreast with the latest developments in the industry. This is a real concern because it is the instructor who is to assess the students to the industry standards. While the instructor struggles to be at breast with the happenings in the industry, the constant job changes ever more owing to changes in technology, economic structures and organization „has far reaching implication on the methodology of training itself. It is generally a cornerstone rule that instructors must be experts in two arts; the art of teaching and the art of a craft or trade (Beidel, 1993). The success of training depends on whether the instructors has mastered both these arts. This argument means that instructors within the institutions of higher learning sector must know the technique of the trade to command respect of employers and foremen in the industry. Prosser and Quigley (1949) observed that the abilities of instructors to teach, supervise and examine students on practical oriented courses are in proportion to the operational process they undertake to teach. Institutions of higher learning should therefore put an eye on the curricula while strategically placing their ears in the industry. Perhaps the question that we should ask is; who is to be on the lead? Institutions of higher learning that have the mandate to deliver curricula that is often not dynamic and irrelevant or industries that are always by nature ahead in terms of technology yet have no mandate to train. It is within the context of knowledge-intensive societies and demand for „hands on‟ experienced and skilled labour force that improved pedagogical skills should become more prominent on the agenda of institutions of higher learning if they have to remain relevant in this globally competitive world ( Martin & Gundmund 2001).