Enhancing Labour Market Opportunities for Higher Learning Graduates: An Examination of Responsive Curriculum Strategies in Dodoma City
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Abstract
The transition from higher education to the labour market remains challenging for graduates, especially in rapidly evolving economies, due to technological advancements, shifting industry demands, and employers' requirements for work experience. This study investigated the effectiveness of responsive curriculum strategies to align educational outputs with labour market demands in Dodoma City. Drawing on Human Capital Theory, which links education and skills acquisition to productivity and earnings, the research adopts a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to integrate quantitative and qualitative data from 250 participants, including students, graduates, lecturers, employers, and representatives from regulatory bodies such as NACTVET. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, quantitative data analysis evaluated the impact of assessments and curriculum resources on labour-market readiness through multiple linear regression. Qualitative content analysis explored themes related to assessment effectiveness and industry collaboration. The findings reveal a significant gap between academic preparation and market requirements, where employers often cite a lack of practical experience with industry-standard tools. This situation indicates the need for curriculum reforms emphasising practical skills, modern technologies, and stronger partnerships between educational institutions and industry stakeholders. Key recommendations include regular curriculum updates, real-world challenges in assessments, and enhanced partnerships to support graduate employability and regional economic development.
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References
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