| Abstract: | With the aim to identify and document gaps and good practices for enhancing
graduate employability, what private universities doing in Ethiopia and the
associated macro environment were assessed with mixed approaches, using
qualitative and quantitative data collection. Methods included: an extensive review
of literature, examination of official documents and key informant interview at five
institutions selected for case study. Document survey results show that since the
second half of the 1990s, Ethiopia has been made to have national policies and
strategies promoting and supporting the education for employment agenda which
needs to be supported by national graduate employability focused policy
framework, vision, strategies, programs, guidelines and working group dealing
with the matter. Regarding the situation at micro level, it was found that all private
higher education providers covered in the study are well aware of the fact that
graduate unemployment or underemployment problem has been manifesting in
unprecedented way in present Ethiopia. Paradoxically, however, none of them
managed to have a full-fledged system function dedicated to the enhancement of
graduate employability. Unlike pre-program need assessment, the practice of
conducting tracer studies and/or industry satisfaction surveys for identifying the
employment situation of graduates and taking the necessary corrective measures
with industry feedback and participation was found a rarity. In so far as
interventions seeking to enhance graduate employability through curricular, cocurricular
and extracurricular activities are concerned, much has not been done in
all cases. In nutshell, the agenda of graduate employability has not been given
adequate attention at all levels: policy, strategy, curriculum & instruction,
research and development. Changing such a scenario will definitely enable the
case study institutions produce employable graduates capable of emancipating
themselves and others from the yoke of poverty.
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