Creditability Gap: An Analysis of Employees’ Capability and Employers’ Expectation: The Case of St. Mary’s College

Abstract

The complex economic and social order of the present day world requires well trained and flexible labour force. In recognition of this fact, vocational education and training programmes manifestly state their intent of preparing graduates with competences that enable them to work effectively in modern organisations (QHE: 1994). In order for vocational education and training to be meaningfully useful to the economy, the demands of the work place should inform the curriculum. In deed, relevance in education is gauged against achievement of mission (Jacques and Peace: 1993). Ethiopia Underwent a major education reform a decade ago and has since gradually rolled out a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme. As in the case in other countries, too, it is stipulated in the TVET policy that the economy will benefit from more trained and skilled labour' (ESDP: 1999) This paper is therefore a modest attempt to evaluate how far the TVET programme has succeeded in preparing graduates for the work place, especially with reference to language competence. It tries to examine the extent 10+1 graduates can perform their activities in English. Particular reference is made to Secretarial Science and Office Management and Salesmanship students. International examinations, interviews and diary were used to collect data.