The role of national service in enhancing employability skills of tertiary graduates in Ghana: a case of national service personnel in the Central Region

Abstract

Purpose

One of the means to enhance the employability skills of tertiary graduates transiting into the job market has been the compulsory national service instituted by the Government of Ghana. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine the contribution of the mandatory national service to enhance the employability of tertiary graduates in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the longitudinal descriptive survey design to sample 375 national service personnel (2018 and 2019 batches) of 13,874 service personnel posted to the Central Region of Ghana, and 31 employers.

Findings

The study found human relation, communication and experience to enter the job market were perceived higher by tertiary graduates in Ghana. It was also found that the preferred employers amongst tertiary graduates were the government, multinational companies and public schools. Skills mismatch between the acquired skills of tertiary graduates and the skills required by employers was also found. Responsible factor identified was the posting of personnel for national service without considering their academic background and future job aspirations. Tertiary graduates transiting into the job market after the national service preferred to be employed by the government because of the lack of entrepreneurial skills.

Practical implications

Therefore, it was recommended that the national service secretariat post national service personnel to organisations that reflect personnel's career aspiration.

Originality/value

This is original research carried out by the researchers and was not sponsored by any organisation/institution.

Citation

Segbenya, M., Oppong, N.Y. and Baafi-Frimpong, S.A. (2021), "The role of national service in enhancing employability skills of tertiary graduates in Ghana: a case of national service personnel in the Central Region", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 1089-1105. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07-2020-0162