Tvet and youth empowerment in Rivers State

Abstract

This study examined the topic of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and youth empowerment in Rivers State, Nigeria, focusing on how participation in TVET programmes influenced youth empowerment and the challenges that affected programme effectiveness. Youths in Rivers State constituted a significant portion of the population, yet high levels of unemployment, underemployment, and social exclusion had limited their economic independence and productive engagement in society. The study employed desk research, analyzing secondary sources, including journals, policy documents, and reports, to evaluate the role of TVET in equipping youths with practical skills, technical competencies, and entrepreneurial abilities. The findings indicated that participation in TVET programmes significantly enhanced employability, fostered entrepreneurship, increased confidence, and encouraged active involvement in economic and community development. Despite these positive outcomes, several challenges constrained the effectiveness of TVET, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, obsolete training equipment, shortage of qualified instructors, weak collaboration between training institutions and industries, and societal preference for academic education over vocational training. The study concluded that while TVET had served as an important instrument for youth empowerment and socio-economic development in Rivers State, addressing these limitations was necessary to maximize its impact. The study recommended that The Rivers State Government and relevant agencies should expand access to quality TVET programmes, provide start-up support for graduates, ensure adequate funding, upgrade facilities and equipment, train instructors, and strengthen industry linkages to enhance programme effectiveness and relevance.