Vocational Education Training (VET) Skills Demanded by Informal Sector for Self-Employment in Tanzania: Views of The Stakeholders in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

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Abstract
This study sought to examine the Vocational Educational Training (VET) skills demanded by the informal sector for successful self-employment in Tanzania. The study collected both qualitative and quantitative data from 120 VET stakeholders. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire, while qualitative data were collected using interviews. It was found that the core VET graduates’ skills demanded by the informal sector for successful self-employment were skills that were practical oriented. That is, the informal sector demanded that instructions VET be practical rather than theoretical in nature. The instructional needs proposed by the respondents included the centres having sample projects for teaching, inviting experienced business owners to share experiences, and paying visits to successful businesses to learn how the business is undertaken. It was concluded that the Tanzania VET curriculum needs transformation to make it relevant to the current business environment. The curriculum needs to include the appropriate competencies and skills that allow the graduates to be themselves by thinking critically and bringing solutions to the prevailing problems. It is recommended to the VET centres to include the courses that prepare the students for self-employment and the ability to create employment opportunities for others