Fashion Design Students’ Attitudes towards the Development of Employability Soft Skills Training in Technical Institutes in Lango Sub-Region, Northern Uganda

The modern labour market increasingly demands graduates who possess both technical competencies and employability soft skills such as communication, teamwork, creativity, adaptability, problem-solving.In Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), these soft skills are essential in preparing students for employment and entrepreneurship. However, many fashion design graduates in Uganda continue to experience challenges in adapting to workplace expectations due to inadequate development of employability soft skills. This study investigated fashion design students’ attitudes towards the development of employability soft skills training in fashion design education in Technical Institutes in Lango sub-region of Northern Uganda. The study employed a descriptive survey design using mixed methods approaches. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews from fashion design students in selected 4 Technical Institutes. Findings revealed that most students recognized employability soft skills as important for workplace success, customer relations, teamwork, and self-employment in the fashion industry. Students expressed positive attitudes towards the development of communication skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities through fashion design training. However, some students perceived soft skills training as less important than practical tailoring and garment construction skills. The findings further indicated that industrial training, learner-centered teaching methods, and exposure to fashion exhibitions positively influenced students’ attitudes towards employability soft skills development. The study concluded that although students generally appreciated the importance of employability soft skills, there were still gaps in curriculum integration and practical implementation of soft skills training in Technical Institutes. The study recommends strengthening curriculum integration, enhancing industry partnerships, and promoting experiential learning approaches to improve employability soft skills development among fashion design students.

Employability soft skills, fashion design education, students’ attitudes, Technical Institutes, Northern Uganda, Lango sub-region.

1. International Labour Organization. (2021). Global framework on core skills for life and work in the 21st century. International Labour Organization. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. UNESCO. (2021). reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Jackson, D. (2021). The contribution of work-integrated learning to undergraduate employability skill outcomes. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 22(2), 103–115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Tymon, A., McDowell, L., Tregaskis, O., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2022). Employer expectations, universities, and employability skills: A systematic review. Education + Training, 64(5), 685–702. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2021-0252 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Singh, B., & Jaykumar, P. (2022). Development of employability skills among technical and vocational education students in the digital era. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 14(3), 45–58. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Okolie, U. C., Nwajiuba, C. A., Binuomote, M. O., Ehiobuche, C., Igu, N. C. N., & Ajoke, O. S. (2020). Career training with mentoring programs in higher education: Facilitating career development and employability of graduates. Education + Training, 62(3), 214–234. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-04-2019-0071 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. World Economic Forum. (2023). the future of jobs report 2023. World Economic Forum. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports. (2021). Technical vocational education and training (TVET) policy review report. Ministry of Education and Sports. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. National Council for Higher Education. (2022). Graduate employability and skills Development report in Uganda. NCHE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Kintu, M. J., Zhu, C., & Kagambe, E. (2021). Blended learning effectiveness and employability competencies among vocational students in Uganda. International Journal of Training Research, 19(2), 145–160. DOI: 10.1186/s41239-017-0043-4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Ayoubi, R. M., Alzarif, K., & Khalifa, B. (2023). Student perceptions of employability skills acquisition in higher education institutions. Education Sciences, 13(4), 377. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040377 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. African Development Bank Group. (2022). Jobs for youth in Africa strategy 2022–2025. African Development Bank. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Ezeani, N. S., & Oladele, R. S. (2024). Soft skills integration in technical and vocational education for sustainable youth employment in Africa. Journal of Vocational Education Studies, 7(1), 55–70. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. UNICEF. (2023). Skills for adolescents and youth employability in sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF Publications [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study