Investigating Reskilling And Up-Skilling Efforts In The Information Technology And Software Development Sector: A Case Study Of Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

This work entails a research on retraining and retooling programs in Kano State, Nigeria for IT/Software Development (IT/SWD) sector and establishes the main criteria of the effectiveness of retraining and upskilling programs in the IT industry. The study made a comprehensive assessment of repurposing and upskilling as the two fronts where IT specialists will be challenged to re-tool their competencies to enable them remain competitive in the labour market of Kano State. Furthermore, this study will develop methods for educational enhancement of reskilling and upskilling, which will enable them to be compatible with the changing dynamics of technology in Kano State and the labor market. The research makes use of quantitative method and looks at the functionalities of the reskilling and upskilling initiatives as far as the IT/SWD job industry in Kano State is concerned. 600 employees of the IT and Software Development taken from the six institutions were surveyed by the stratified random sampling method. The sample size was calculated using the estimated proportion of the population given a confidence of 95% and a 5% margin of error, assuming a range of 50% in response. The completion rate for this particular survey was 96.4% and so the calculated sample size of 250 returned valid responses of 241. Data was collected through online self-administered questions, where information was sought on respondents' demographics, current skills, their participation in training programs, effectiveness of training programs and their future career goals. The result shows that overwhelmingly IT employees in Kano State are having positive perception towards reskilling and upskilling initiatives. The government policies did not receive the most favorable rating as it was rated neutrally at the average score of 3.95, while the funding availability and technological advancements were perceived positively with the mean scores of 4.20 and 4.35 respectively. An index of 4.15, corresponding to the high industry demand for skilled workers, showed a positive direction. Ongoing corporate initiatives for upskilling and reskilling, which gained a mean score of 4.45, demonstrate the active involvement of organizations. Workable approaches for the industries are the following: these are continuous training, customizing programs to suit the company's needs, promoting the culture of learning, working together with educational institutions, and monitoring the program performance. It can be implied that the execution of these recommendations will make workforce more able, business entities will be more effective in the organizational context, and the state will be competitive in the changing IT/SWD market.