Perceived Civil Service Demands for Graduates’ Employability Skills and Workforce Readiness in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined perceived civil service demands for graduates' employability skills and workforce readiness in Ogun State, Nigeria. Ogun State was selected because it possesses one of Nigeria's largest and most dynamic state civil services, where ongoing public sector reforms and increasing demands for efficient service delivery have heightened the need for graduates with relevant employability skills beyond academic qualifications. Although previous studies have examined graduate employability from the perspectives of academic qualifications, institutional characteristics and employment outcomes, limited empirical evidence exists on the specific employability skills demanded by employers within the Nigerian civil service, particularly from the perspectives of senior officers who directly supervise graduate employees. This study therefore addressed this gap by examining the communication, time management and problem-solving skills demanded from graduates alongside their level of workforce readiness in the Ogun State Civil Service. A descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted because it enabled the collection of data from respondents to describe prevailing workplace realities and perceptions without manipulating any variables. The population comprised 424 directors across 86 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Ogun State Civil Service. A sample of 86 directors was selected using purposive sampling based on their direct supervisory responsibilities over graduate employees. Data were collected using the Graduate Employability Skills Demand Questionnaire (r = 0.77) and the Graduate Workforce Readiness Questionnaire (r = 0.84). Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that communication skills (X̅ = 3.13, SD = 0.75), time management skills (X̅ = 3.02, SD = 0.80) and problem-solving skills (X̅ = 3.06, SD = 0.76) were highly demanded by the Ogun State Civil Service, while graduate workforce readiness was moderately high (X̅ = 3.05, SD = 0.80). The study recommends that tertiary institutions integrate structured employability skills into their curricula, while the Ogun State Government should strengthen induction, mentoring and continuous professional development programmes for graduate employees. The study provides empirical evidence to support curriculum reform, workforce development policies and human resource planning, thereby offering valuable insights for policymakers, educational institutions and stakeholders in human resource management and labour studies in Nigeria.