Examining the alignment of vocational education curricula with labour market demands for youth employability in Tanzania: bridging the skills gap

This study examines the alignment between Vocational Education and Training (VET) curricula and labour market demands in Tanzania, focussing on enhancing youth employability. Specifically, it aims to identify skills and competencies provided by VET curricula and assess their alignment with labour market demands. Using a mixed-method approach and convergent parallel design, data were collected from 25 employers and five officers from Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) through questionnaires and interviews, respectively. Additionally, document reviews were conducted to identify the skills offered by VET curricula. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that while technical skills are effectively included into VET programs, essential soft skills like financial management, leadership, digital literacy, communication, adaptability, and flexibility are limited. Findings from VETA revealed a comprehensive and deliberate efforts to enhance relevance of VET skills, through regular curriculum reviews and stakeholders’ engagement. The study concludes that although notable progress has been made in aligning VET with labour market demands, the slow integration of critical soft skills continues to limit graduates’ readiness for employment. It recommends integrating a broader range of soft skills into VET curricula to bridge the existing skills gap and improve youths’ employability in Tanzania.