Practical Training and Industry Partnerships as Predictors of TVET Graduate Job Competency: Evidence from 3–5-Star Hotels in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

The hospitality industry in Ghana has experienced important growth leading to an increased demand for a skilled work․ There is a growing concern about the mismatch between TVET graduates' skills and the industry's demands‚ as previous research has focused on graduate employability and skill gaps․ However‚ little is known about the role of industry linkage and industry attachment in the job competency of TVET graduates from the employer's perspective in hospitality․ The study was aimed at assessing the influence of workplace experience and quality of industry partnership on job competency of TVET graduates in the hospitality industry within selected 3-star to 5-star hotels in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana․ A convergent mixed-methods of quantitative and qualitative approach was employed․ The sample size for the quantitative phase was 264 hotel managers‚ heads of departments and hospitality industry stakeholders and 12 key informants for qualitative phase․ Descriptive statistics‚ thematic analysis and multiple linear regression were used to analyse the data․ Results showed that practical training (β = 0․312‚ p < ․001) and the quality of partnerships with industries and organizations (β = 0․148‚ p = ․021) were both statistically important predictors of job competence․ These predictors explain 51․5% of the variance of graduate job competency (R2 = 0․515; Adjusted R2 = 0․505; F = 17․03‚ p․001)․ Improving experiential learning and strategic TVET-industry relations via mentoring‚ curriculum development‚ workplace assessment‚ and continuous feedback are essential for improving graduates' employability and readiness in Ghana's fast-changing hospitality and tourism industry․