LANGUAGE COMPETENCE AS A CATALYST FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, EMPLOYABILITY, AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the association between language competence and perceived vocational education outcomes, employability, and youth empowerment among students and recent graduates of selected Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Nigeria. The study responds to the need for evidence on whether communication-related competencies are associated with how TVET participants perceive their learning, employment readiness, and empowerment. Guided by Human Capital Theory and
Communicative Competence Theory, the study adopts a cross-sectional descriptive-correlational survey design. The reported sample comprises 200 respondents from selected technical and vocational institutions. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings show positive associations between language competence and perceived vocational education outcomes (r = .712), perceived employability (r = .756), and youth
empowerment (r = .734). A positive association was also found between language competence and respondents' perceived contribution to social cohesion and conflict mitigation (r = .689). Because the study uses a cross-sectional, self-report design and purposively selected sites, the findings should be interpreted as associations and perceptions rather than causal effects or nationally representative estimates. The study recommends stronger integration of functional communication training into TVET curricula and further research using longitudinal and objective labour-market and social-outcome measures.