Graduate Employment among Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria

Abstract

We examine the selection processes and retention of graduate staff of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The findings are expected to help graduates to conduct self-appraisal, to create awareness among SME owners on how to retain graduate staff.  How higher institutions can improve the quality of graduates produced and how the government can identify areas of intervention. Data were gathered from two hundred (200) Owners of SMEs; however, only one hundred and ninety-eight (198) questionnaires were okay. The questionnaire was designed using five points Likert scale ranging from strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1). It was also supposed to supply information on the rankings of competencies and skills, factors inhibiting performance, reasons for low graduate retention among graduate staffs of SMEs. The study found out that oral communication, written communication, and positive ethics were top on the list of competencies and skills of graduate staff as ranked by the SME owners. Graduate retention was low in SMEs due to graduates' dissatisfaction with remuneration. The need for students of higher institutions to have hands-on knowledge of the theory they were taught.