BASELINE ASSESSMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND CRAFT-MAKING SKILLS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVERS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING

Abstract

Rising youth unemployment in Nigeria has intensified interest in craft-based vocational training as a pathway to self-employment. However, training programmes are frequently designed without a clear understanding of the competencies participants already possess. This study assessed the baseline level of craft-making, specifically toy-making, skills possessed by secondary school leavers in Rivers State, Nigeria, prior to any structured intervention, in order to inform entrepreneurship training design. A descriptive survey design was adopted. A sample of 415 secondary school leavers was selected from a population of 18,640 across six Local Government Areas using a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a researcher-developed, expert-validated Toy Making Skills Assessment Scale (TMSAS) covering twelve practical skill domains, and were analysed using means and standard deviations. Results showed a grand mean of 1.97 (SD = 0.72), indicating an overall low level of pre-existing craft-making skill across all twelve competencies assessed. The lowest mean scores were recorded in stuffing toys evenly (M = 1.79), finishing work neatly (M = 1.81), and accurate pattern tracing (M = 1.83). The relatively small standard deviations indicated that low competence was fairly uniform across respondents rather than concentrated in a subgroup. The study concludes that secondary school leavers in Rivers State enter vocational programmes with minimal pre-existing craft competence. This underscores the need for entrepreneurship training that begins with foundational, hands-on skill-building rather than assuming baseline proficiency. Implications for the design of craft-based entrepreneurship curricula are discussed.