Summary Report of the study entitled

“Holistic Comparative Performance Analysis of LG-

KHTC and Other TVET Colleges in Addis Ababa”

Conducted by : Andinet Business Group

July 30, 2023

Introduction

Colleges are facing a growing difficulty regarding the relevancy of their curricula and the
employability of their graduates, especially in light of two sets of statistics: enrolment and youth
unemployment rates. Data from UNESCO show that enrollment in tertiary education has increased
by over a factor of two over the past few decades. At the same time, unemployment has
increased as a result of the financial crisis that started in 2008. Young people continue to be the most
severely impacted by the job crisis, according to the 2012 report.

The OECD (2001b: 148) describes the information-driven economy as one in which "knowledge
becomes an essential factor of production alongside the traditional, more tangible factors." The ability
of people, cities, and regions to acquire and expand knowledge is vital to their effective integration
into the global economy because knowledge is an essential ingredient of production. Physical
resources are being replaced by symbolic ones, mental effort by physical effort, and knowledge
capital by all other types of capital are being challenged.

Hence, the researcher has designed empirical investigation to conduct the study entitled ―Holistic
Comparative Performance Analysis of LG- KHTC and Other TVET Colleges in Addis Ababa‖ using
quantitative and qualitative methods through primary and secondary sources , The survey tools-
questionnaire and interview guides were prepared based on specific objectives set in advance. The
Study participants including college graduates, trainers and stakeholders were also selected both
randomly and non-randomly (purposively) according to statistical principles. The study site is in
Addis Ababa and its surrounding within a distance of 40 kilometers. The case colleges selected for
this study are LG-KHTC, SELAM TVET College and KIA KOICA college.

Therefore, the objectives and findings as well as recommendations given to the study based on the
factual findings are presented step by step below.

1) Objective : To compare Knowledge, skills and attitude level of LGKHTC and other
colleges‘ graduates from the actual labor market

Findings :

The Employment Status of Graduates of TVET from LG-KHTC, SELAM and KIA KOICA
Colleges.

Figure 1 Employment Status of TVET Graduates

Out of the 158 respondents, we found all of them being employed and working in different sectors.
63% of them work for public institutions, 27% of them for private companies , and the remaining
10% were found to be recent graduates who operate by themselves or self-employed. . We haven‘t
found unemployed respondents; hence, we can see that TVET graduates in general have high rate of
employability. Their employability arises from the skills and knowledge they have to compete with
others and get employed. No respondent was found idle or unemployed while we were contacting our
study participants based on the list that was given from the colleges.

Figure 2. Comparison of Employment status between LG-KOICA & SELAM and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges

The job status of TVET graduates from LG-KHTC , SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges is
compared in Figure 2 above. As a result, 59.7% of the sampled LG-KHTC respondents were
discovered to work for public organizations, while 64% of the sampled SELAM and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges graduates were employed in government institutions. A closer look at the private
employees shows that 30.6% of LG-KHTC respondents work in the private sector, compared to
22.5% of SELAM and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges‘ graduates. This suggests that LG-KHTC
graduates are more likely to find employment in the private sector than are graduates of SELAM and
KIA KOICA TVET Colleges combined. Therefore, it is inferred that the employment status of
LG_KOICA graduates in the private sector is encouraging and much better than SELAM and KIA
KOICA Colleges.

Furthermore, this comparative explanation shows that LG-KOICA has the potential to bring a much
greater contribution in the employment of TVET graduates to have their own work creativity instead
of being employed in government or private organizations. Since self-employment requires self-
reliance, it is a good start-up for LG-KOICA college to equip its graduates with the necessary
entrepreneurial skills and knowledge that enable them to do their own business and improve their
lives and contribute more to the economy as a whole.

Table 1. TVET Graduates‘ Employment sectors

Employment sectors
College(s) Total
Self % Private % Public %

LG-KHTC 5 7.1% 22 31.4% 43 61.4% 70

SELAM &
KIA KOICA
11 12.5% 20 22.7% 57 64.8% 88
TVET
Colleges

Total 158

In the above table, public organizations are more prevalent than private companies overall in both
sides of the employment status of TVET graduates being compared, this suggests that the private
sector is less responsive to the labor market than the public sector. Again, the low share of self-
employment in the graduate labor market is also the study's depressing finding.

Recommendations:

Job searching is a phenomenon that predominates among TVET graduates of LG-KHTC, SELAM
TVET, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges. Therefore, policymakers must take all necessary steps to
expand the labor market in order to employ skilled workforce efficiently and on schedule and prevent
graduates from suffering from unemployment and related issues.

This study's findings on job-searching strategies showed that TVET graduates are more likely to hunt
for openings through notices in local newspapers and on notice boards. Employers must strive for
more technologically advanced and modern job announcements, even though using such services may
not be discounted as alternatives, in order to find a competitive labor force and to safeguard applicants
from needless expenses or the lack of job-related information. Additionally, if a more prevalent job
searching platforms are established, graduates will have access to the internet and private
employment agencies to search for jobs.

Though it is a good beginning to see graduates of these colleges being self- employed, a more
extensive work is required to change the scenario and bring more graduates to the self-employment
work sector. A greater deal of promotion work needs to be done to help trainees develop positive
attitudes and learn entrepreneurship skills so as to create work rather than search for jobs.

Despite the fact that LG-KHTC, SELAM and KIA KOICA Colleges are devoted to spending more
resources to the development of human capital and continuing to produce a large number of
competent TVET graduates, they sometimes overlook the crucial task of monitoring where their
graduates are when it comes to participating in the labor market. Therefore, it is strongly advised that
colleges conduct tracer studies on a more frequent basis in order to learn more about their graduates
and to promptly make changes to the many components of their training and field diversifications.
Colleges and employers in the workforce must enhance and develop graduates' general and industry-
specific competencies by enhancing specialized trainings and enhancing teaching and learning modes
in order to increase the variety of options available to students for academic subjects, to improve
graduates' employment prospects, and to expedite the duration of the job search.

2) Objective: To compare self-reliance level of graduates from LGKHTC and other colleges
Findings:

Figure 4. The Comparative View of TVET Graduates Length of Job Search by Colleges
According to figure 4 above, out of the total of 70 respondents from LG-KHTC , 58% graduates
were discovered to be in employment before six months, 27% within a year, and 15.7% after a year.
Similar to this, out of the 88 respondents who graduated from SELAM and KIA KOICA TVET
Colleges, 44% reported getting a job within six months, while the remaining 25% and 30.7% said
the same about getting jobs within a year and after a year, respectively. According to the TVET
colleges' comparative opinions, LG-KHTC graduates are more likely than SELAM and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges graduates to obtain work within six months after graduation.

This suggests that the majority of LG-KHTC graduates were able to find employment within six
months and that the labor market is very responsive and eager to hire new graduates. Moreover, it is
evident to draw a conclusion that the graduates‘ level of self-reliance and competency to find jobs
suitable to their competency them is also higher for majorities of the graduates.

The Socio-Biographic Background of TVET Graduates in Relation to Job Search and

Employment Opportunities

Figure 5. Respondents‘ Interest towards the Field TVET before Joining the Higher Education

Figure 5 shows the interest in TVET among alumni of the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges before entering higher education. According to the bar graph, 90% of LG-KHTC
graduates said they had a genuine interest in their fields of study, compared to 86.4% of SELAM and
KIA KOICA TVET Colleges graduates. On the other hand, the percentages of graduates who
reported having little interest in TVET—roughly 10% and 13.6% for LG-KHTC & SELAM and KIA
KOICA Colleges respectively- was negligible. This shows that majorities of the TVET learners join
TVET colleges based on their real interest in the field of studies they have chosen. Hence, they are
enthusiastic about the skills they are obtaining in the college.
Table 2. Views of the Respondents on the Contribution of their Prior Education to their College study

df Sig.

College Observed N Expected N X2

Moderate and 12 23.3 34.114 2 .000

Below

LG-KHTC High 26 23.3

Very High 32 23.3

Total 70

SELAM & Moderate and 17 29.3 50.273 2 .000

KIA KOICA
Below
TVET
Colleges High 24 29.3

Very High 47 29.3

Total 88

In the above table , the empirical relationships between educational history and college studies are
shown . The opinions of the sampled graduates regarding how their earlier education influenced their
college studies should help them gain employment. As a result, 81.64% of the respondents in general
fall into the "high" and "very high" categories on the rating scale. In addition, 83% of the graduates
from LG-KHTC and 81% of the graduates from SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges indicated
that their past education had a significant impact on their colleges' study in the comparative view of
the frequencies of respondents under the rating scales "high" and "very high." This is a good
indicator that their self-confidence with the skills and knowledge they are gaining will be higher their
background knowledge is in line with their higher education specialization.

Recommendation: Data on the length of job searches for TVET graduates at the LG-KHTC,
SELAM TVET, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges showed that, for the majority, the possibility of
finding employment within six months of graduation was highly likely. This is a result of the
employment market's ability to quickly absorb the majority of graduates. As a result, this urges
stakeholders and policymakers to strengthen this encouraging progress to access a level that matches
with TVET programs.

The case colleges that are studied by the comparative analysis have shown significant actions to
assess how well graduates are prepared with the general skills that employers demand, including their
applicability in various job settings. Nevertheless, their primary concern should be the development
and enhancement of career center operations, comprehension of employer positions, tracking of
graduates, and in particular, their institutional successes in facilitating the entry of their own graduates
into the labor market.

3) Objective: To compare LGKHTC and other colleges training Quality

Findings:

The Supportiveness of the Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to the Subsequent Employment of
LG-KHTC , SELAM and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges Graduates

Through Table 3 below, it is shown how supportive the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET
Colleges' structure, curriculum, study conditions, and student behavior are to the graduates'
subsequent employment under this heading. The college training quality is rated and its mean is
calculated for the t-test comparison below.

Table 3. T-Test on the Contribution of Higher Education Structure to Graduate Employment

Group Statistics
Items College Mean Std. t df Sig.(2
tailed)

The College itself (i.e., If it LG-KHTC 3.19 1.254 .615 156 .539
involves employers in different (n=70)
decision making processes and
if it prepares events in order to 3.07 1.143
invite employers to visit and SELAM &
hire graduates) KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges
(n=80)
LG-KHTC 3.69 1.043 - 156 .149
College –Industry linkage (n=70) 1.449
Office in the Institute of
Technology (IoT) (i.e., If it SELAM &
placed graduates in Internship KIA KOICA 3.92 .985
by considering their prospects TVET
and future careers) Colleges
(n=80)
LG-KHTC
Alumni Office/Career Guidance (n=70) 3.51 .897 - 156 .211
 and Counseling Services /Career SELAM and 1.255
Advising Office (i.e., If it KIA KOICA 3.70 .984
provides advice and trainings on TVET
the job searching process and Colleges(n=
career opportunities of 80)
prospective
graduates)
Your Department or the
Academic Staff (i.e., If efforts LG-KHTC 3.57 1.111 - 156 .308
were made by your trainers in (n=70) 1.022
recommending you for an
appropriate job and if it gives an
SELAM & 3.75 1.075
entrepreneur trainings) KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges
(n=80)
Student Council (i.e., If it LG-KHTC
prepared different events like (n=70) 3.26 1.441 1.257 156 .210
job fairs, role model
presentations etc. in order to SELAM and 3.01 1.011
promote your fields of study ) KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges(n=
80)
Grand Mean of Higher
Education Structure LG-KHTC 17.22 3.38750 -.453 156 .651
(Mid-
Point+15)

SELAM & 17.45 3.24802

KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges
(Mid-
Point+15)

The above table displays the findings of the descriptive analysis for elements related to the
contribution of higher education structure to graduate employment. On a Likert scale with five points,
from "1" (very low) to "5" (very high), informants were asked to score each item. The result is
interpreted below.

The average value is calculated to be 3.0. According to the mean ratings, graduates from the LG-
KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges gave all five items ratings above the median
(M=3.0). All the Institutes' overall rated mean scores for the Higher Education Structure (LG-
KHTC= 17.22; SELAM and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges=17.4545) were above the midpoint
(M=15.0). Since graduates evaluated every item as "high" or "very high," it is clear that the
organizational structure of LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges significantly
influenced graduate employment. For instance, the preparation of events to welcome businesses to
visit and hire graduates, as well as the involvement of employers in various decision-making
processes at the College, appear to be high (LG-KHTC, M = 3.19; and SELAM & KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges, M = 3.07).

SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges and LG-KHTC found that placing graduates in internships
through college-industry links was highly significant (M = 3.69 and 3.92, respectively).

Furthermore, both sides of the Institutes that are being compared (LG-KHTC, M = 3.15; SELAM &
KIA KOICA TVET Colleges, M = 3.17) are discovered to provide high level of Career Guidance and
Counseling Services or counseling and training on the job search process through Alumni
Office/Career Advising Office.

Additionally, graduates tend to rate their departments' and the academic staff's efforts higher when it
comes to finding them suitable jobs or preparing them for entrepreneurship (LG-KHTC, M = 3.57;
SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges, M =3.75). The preparation of various activities, including
job fairs and role model presentations, by the Council of Students to advance their respective fields of
study is particularly noteworthy or eminent(LG-KHTC, M = 3.26; SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET
Colleges, M = 3.01).

The results of the comparisons and significance tests done on the 'Higher Education Structure'
category show that the responses of graduates from the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET
Colleges are almost identical. The lack of variations in the results therefore suggests that most
graduates from the case colleges receive supporting organizational structure for the graduate
employability.

Additionally, a free-form question was designed to find out how the college organizational structure
affected their work. The employment of its graduates is important to the Colleges, according to one
of the respondents. He said, “ in my opinion, the college makes significant efforts to prepare
graduates mentally for employment and employment chances” .

Similarly, graduates from LG-KHTC claimed that the College-Industry Linkage made efforts to
provide considerable placement of internships . He said, “Today, the majority of us work in the
same places where we formerly interned while still in college.” As a result, it was found from the
this study that the College makes a significant contribution to preparing students for the employment
market. It includes career advice to assist students with résumé preparation, job search advice, and
interview advice.

Trainers were also questioned about whether or not they had done tracer studies to learn more about
potential flaws in the teaching and learning process, which can provide the foundation for developing
future improvement plans. Trainers from the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges
responded that they have had a trend of performing tracer studies, in this respect. Both LG-KHTC
and KIA KOICA TVET College conducted significant tracer studies in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
SELAM TVET College did the same thing in 2012, too.

In order to improve the quality of the study programs and, more specifically, to update the
curriculum, they undertook a tracer study to track where their graduates were employed and also to
get feedback. This was done in order to increase the employability of the graduating students based on
the demands of the current labor market. From this vantage point, it is feasible to deduce that the
College's own support, the connection between the College and Industry, the Alumni Office/Career
Guidance and Counseling Services, the Department or the Academic Staff, and the Student Council
are all extremely positive.

In essence, a crucial problem is the contribution of study program characteristics to labor market
success. It has been discovered that study conditions are incredibly intriguing predictors of
various facets of labor market success across domains. According to Melink & Pavlin (2009:74),
challenging programs, particularly in the TVET field, reduce job security, career advancement
chances, and a sense of independence in one's current profession. In light of this, it is asserted
that in the same field, more practically oriented programs result in higher levels of factors that
contribute to success in the job market. Once more, pursuing additional higher education programs,
the length of the program, and variables from one's vocationally oriented secondary education all
favorably affect job creativity and autonomy.

Additionally, graduates were questioned informally about the typical study environments in
HEIs. In light of this, the most often discussed topics among respondents from all the colleges
center on the significance connected to their exposure to laboratory equipment and facilities during
college life as well as skill and knowledge transferability during job searching. The responses
demonstrate that TVET students frequently had superior access to such equipment and services in all
three Colleges.

Therefore, it may be claimed that TVET graduates' ability to take advantage of certain
characteristics of the educational environment is particularly important. The proper intensity of
using internships and work placements as a teaching mode, group assignments, problem-based
learning, and more interactive modes of training than traditional methods like too many oral
presentations, lectures, and intensive use of written assignments were discussed in responses for the
interview schedule with TVET instructors from the case colleges. These factors may have
contributed to the search for and success in finding employment.

There is no statistically significant difference between the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges being compared with regard to "the help of Higher Education Study Condition to the
graduate employment" (t(156) = -.482, p >.05), according to comparisons and tests of
significance conducted on the category of "Higher Education Study Conditions." Graduate
responses in these TVET Colleges are traced to be nearly similar. The lack of disparities in the
results therefore suggests that students at the case colleges perceive the availability of favorable
study environments or amenities for graduate employment.
Recommendation:

The results of this study show that the organizational structure, curriculum, study conditions, and
individual study behavior, when combined to the fullest extent, have little bearing on how well
graduates find work or navigate the labor market. Accordingly, the HEIs should carefully analyze and
carefully plan the employment-influencing variables, such as the structure, curriculum, study
environment, and behaviors, based on the demands of the contemporary labor market. The TVET
colleges should also work collaboratively with the HEIs so as to bring a more prevalent change to
meet the labor demand in the market.

4) Objective: To assess relevance of LGKHTC and other colleges„ training courses

In order to see the relevance of the courses given in the college, it is appropriate to see the
market demand condition to what extent the graduates are absorbed by the market.

Findings:

Table 5. T-Test is used to compare the Supportiveness of the Labor Market Condition to the
Employment of the graduates

Group Statistics

Items College Mean Std. t df Sig. (2-

tailed)

The macroeconomic LG-KHTC 3.33 1.139 -.136 156 .892

condition (i.e., The (n=70)
number of new jobs created
by economic 3.35 1.051
expansion/large quantity of
jobs in the labor market) SELAM &
KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges(n=80)
Civil-service 3.30 1.040 -.779 156 .437
employment requirement
policies and labor LG-
market regulations
(e.g., affirmative action) KHTC
(n=70)

3.43 1.070

SELAM &
KIA KOICA
TVET
 Colleges(n=80)

Education-Job matches 3.37 1.395 -.825 156 .410

(i.e., The
complementarity betweenLG-KHTC
labor market and(n=70)
educational policies )
3.53 1.082

SELAM & KIA

KOICA TVET
Colleges(n=80)

Grand mean of the labor 10.0000 2.37743 -.814 156 .417

market conditions
LG-KHTC
(n=70)

10.3182 2.48927

SELAM & KIA

KOICA TVET
Colleges(n=80)

Table 5 above displays the findings of the descriptive analysis for variables relating to how
supportive the labor market circumstances are for the job opportunities. On a Likert scale with
five points, from "1" (very low) to "5" (very high), informants were asked to score each
item. According to the mean ratings, graduates from the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges gave all three items ratings above the median (M=3.0). The overall mean
scores for each Institute's Study Behavior (LG-KHTC = 19.0000; SELAM and KIA KOICA
TVET Colleges = 18.0795) were likewise above the midpoint (M = 15.0). This shows that the
labor market environment was favorable for graduates of the LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA
KOICA TVET Colleges to find career prospects. Hence, the courses they have taken is highly
relevant to the career they have obtained.

According to graduates of LG-KHTC and SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges, the
macroeconomic situation (i.e., the amount of new jobs created by economic expansion/large
quantity of jobs in the labor market) appears to be strong. Affirmative action and laws governing
civil service job requirements are also frequently significant (LG-KHTC, M = 3.44;
SELAM & KIA KOICA TVET Colleges, M = 3.82). Additionally, the complementarit y
between labor market and educational strategies (LG-KHTC, M = 3.37; and SELAM & KIA
KOICA TVET Colleges, M = 3.53) tends to be significant.

The role of Higher Education Study Conditions (Facilities) to the Graduates‟ Employment

Table 4. T-Test on the Role of Higher Education Study Conditions (Facilities) to the Graduates‗
Employment

Group Statistics

Items College Mean Std. t df Sig.(2-

tailed)
LG-KHTC 3.44 1.137 - 156 .283
(n=70) 1.077

Objectives of
SELAM and 3.74 .988
KIA KOICA
Courses/Learning out
TVET
comes
Colleges(n=88)

Contents of the LG-KHTC 3.44 1.211 -.588 156 .558

Courses of the study (n=70)
(i.e., If the Multi- SELAM and 3.82 .865
disciplinarity is KIA KOICA
entertained in the TVET
courses to equip Colleges(n=88)
graduates with soft-
skills and hard-skills
from diverse areas).
LG-KHTC 3.26 1.151 -.494 156 .622
Methods of Delivery (n=70)
SELAM and 3.38 .875
(i.e., Modern and
KIA KOICA
active learning
TVET
methods)
Colleges(n=88)
 Modes of LG-KHTC 3.16 1.199 -.545 156 .587
Evaluation/Assessmen (n=70)
t Techniques (i.e., use
of the varieties of SELAM and 3.60 .929
evaluation methods) KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges(n=88)
The Instructional aids LG-KHTC 3.29 1.065 1.361 156 .176
(Teaching Materials) (n=70)
SELAM and 3.11 .863
KIA KOICA
TVET
Colleges(n=88)
Grand Mean of LG-KHTC (15) 16.585 4.22722 - 156 .077
Higher Education 7 1.778
Curriculum SELAM and 17.647 3.28368
KIA KOICA 7 Tab
TVET le
Colleges(15)
4.
above displays the findings of the descriptive analysis for elements pertaining to the
contribution of graduate employment to higher education study conditions (facilities). On
a Likert scale with five points, from "1" (very low) to "5" (very high), informants were asked
to score each item. Graduates from LG-KHTC, SELAM, and KIA KOICA TVET Colleges
scored all condition items above the midpoint (M=3.0) based on the mean scores. These
indicate that the TVET graduates of the case colleges found the services linked to the stated
items to be less demanding and they are supportive .

Recommendation: The major changes to the curriculum seemed to be in line with: a) the
modularization of TVET courses, which allows a trainer to be in charge of managing a module
and making decisions pertaining to it; b) the addition of electives and more practice-oriented
courses; c) the enhancement of the practical education component of each course, primarily
through laboratory or workshop exercises, project work, and industrial visits; and d) a six-month
industrial placement. In addition, courses that deal with appropriate technology for rural
development were added in the relevant focus areas in order to promote agricultural led
industrial development policy of the country (Revised and harmonized Curriculum of
Mechanical TVET, 2013).
 5) Objective: To compare employers„ satisfaction between LGKHTC and other
colleges‟ Graduates

Findings:

The TVET Graduates Employability and Employment as Seen from the

Perspective of Employers

In order to accommodate a number of graduates each year, companies were invited to the
colleges to consider their own views about the support of labor market circumstances. The
majority of companies said that they are being encouraged to expand their capacity in
order to take on more graduates by labor market conditions, specifically by labor market
regulations and policies. However, some of them complained that government policies didn't
merely encourage us to grow our company and hire more graduates. When it comes to
implementation, government policies are ―toothless tigers‖; they do not encourage private
enterprises to be globally competitive and do not receive the same level of attention as the
government sectors.

Additionally, some employers, including East Africa Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Ethiopian
Shipping and Logistic Service, and Sunshine Construction, stated that they have contributed
significantly to the college-to-work transition by educating students about their options
for learning and careers, speaking to students about career opportunities in the classroom,
sharing information with local labor market boards, and/or working directly with colleges and
apprenticeship programs. Key informants from some employer companies, including
Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation, stated that they had been involved in outreach
efforts in various colleges. Taking part in career fairs and presentations on campuses, which in
turn used to look for graduates to hire them for specific roles, was one way to do this. Another
was to have general dialogues with students to introduce them to a certain companies or
industries in general.

6) Objective: To compare entrepreneurial skills of LG-KHTC and other colleges‟

Graduates

Findings:
Aside from the interview schedule, the purpose of this study was to analyze documents, more
specifically the justifications for TVET curriculum, based on their relevance to the Education
and Training Policy and Strategy (1994), the Education Sector Development Program (1997-
2017), the Industrial Development Strategy (2003), the Plan for Accelerated and Sustained
Development to End Poverty (2006), and the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP I and GTP
II).

As a result, the following are key arguments for the TVET program that relate to the graduate
job market: There are descriptions that read, for example:

"The program has trained students over the years and has now come to a point where graduates
of its undergraduate program are equipped with sufficient theoretical and practical skills that
would enable them to be engaged in and work at the Electrical/Electronic sector of the national
economy";

"...so far, the undergraduate program is designed to meet the needs of the major employers of the
graduates in the operation and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment and
machines;"

"It is still logical to maintain the broad nature of undergraduate curricula that affords the
graduates versatility in terms of employment";

Additionally, "The goal is to produce electrical engineers who are flexible across disciplines and
can apply their knowledge and skills to lead multidisciplinary teams to solve the increasingly
complex problems of industry and technology."

These examples show how the curriculum for the TVET area pays attention to education and
training policy and strategy (e.g., Revised and harmonized Curriculum for TVET, 2014: 5). In
addition, TVET's curricular rationale was able to acknowledge that the majority of its graduates
are employed by small- and medium-sized businesses all around the nation. In order to increase
the productivity of the graduates, it has therefore justified and persuaded on the necessity of
making the education more practice-oriented and dedicated to the various industrial applications
(medium and small). The curriculum also demonstrated the inevitable rise in the proportion of
TVET graduates who will work for themselves, and it added a course on entrepreneurship to
better train graduates for job creation rather than just job-hunting.

Therefore, it is discovered that employability, employment, and labor market issues are
addressed in the TVET curriculum across all of the programs. This suggests that the course
objectives and learning outcomes are created in accordance with the nation's goals and
socioeconomic realities, and that the study's course materials (which include and entertain
multidisciplinary situation to give graduates soft- and hard-skills from a variety of fields) and
delivery style (which is characterized by contemporary, practice-oriented, and active learning
methods supported by appropriate Instructional aides in addition to long-term intern.
Recommendations:

According to the employment statistics for TVET graduates from LG-KHTC, SELAM College,
and KIA KOICA College, government institutions consistently hire the majority of recent
graduates, regardless of their college of study, field of specialization, or gender. Next to the
public sector, the private sector also absorbs TVET graduates widely. However, the worst of all
is the little percentage of graduates who are now working for themselves. Hence, efforts must be
taken by the colleges themselves to produce job-creators rather than job-seekers since
development is thought to be impossible with the sole employment window provided by
governmental institutions. Trainings that focus on entrepreneurial skills should be widely given
so that learners could develop their self-confidence in order to be self-employed by themselves.

Since this study was limited to only three TVET Colleges (LG-KHTC, SELAM TVET, and KIA
KOICA TVET colleges), it was impossible to provide comprehensive and in-depth information
concerning the graduate labor market in Ethiopia. Future researchers are thus urged to start
similar tracer studies, either inland by broadening the area and introducing more variables, or, if
practical, by comparing the problem to other countries. Future academics may want to look into
what additional socio-biographic background elements are and how they affect graduates' ability
to get employment in the future.

Policymakers and stakeholders must collaborate to find ways to improve graduate employment
and employability by increasing opportunities in the private sector. Additionally, policymakers,
colleges, and other stakeholders should be concerned with encouraging TVET graduates to find
employment by starting their own businesses and providing the required supports rather than
leaving it to chance. In order for graduates to create jobs rather than just seek them out,
educators, government figures, and the media must invest time, resources, and attention into
raising awareness of the value of knowledge and skills.

Despite the fact that LG-KHTC gives trainings only on two fields of studies ( Electronics and
IT), the results of this study shows that the college is contributing a lot on the work creation and
skilled and competent labor force in Ethiopia. Hence, those stakeholders and donors of the
college are supposed to be closely looking at its contribution in a more pragmatic way so that
policy makers could take immediate actions to expand fields of studies parallel to maintaining
quality of training in a more consistent way.