The Relationship Between Labour Market Core Skills Requirements And University Graduate Soft Skills Competence
[A CASE STUDY OF NORTH-WEST, NIGERIA]

Scope of the Study
        The geographical scope of the study is North-west Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The zone comprises seven States namely; Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa and Zamfara. The North-west is selected for this study because it recorded the highest rate of unemployment of 30.0% (Ajaikaye, 2015). However, four States will be selected for the study, these are Zamfara, Jigawa, Kaduna and Katsina States. These States are selected for the study in the North-west zone because they recorded the highest rates of unemployment (Zamfara, 42.6%, Jigawa, 35.9%, Kaduna, 30.3% and Katsina, 28.1%) in the zone (Ajaikaye, 2015).
        Labour market core skills requirements are identified as the independent variable of the study while university graduate soft skills competence is the dependent variable. The study will focus on the labour market core skills requirements and the university graduate soft skills competence with specific emphasis on classes of degrees, areas of specialisation, work-related experience and age. University graduate soft skills competence were measured through communication skill, basic computer skill, analytical skill, entrepreneurial skill and interpersonal skill. These are referred to as soft skills. Soft skills are those basic skills acquired by an individual within or outside the school system which the National University Commission (2004) described as non-academic skill. These skills are selected for the study because they are basic and transferable skills. They are generic in nature and could be acquired by all graduates regardless of their disciplines or field of study (Hager, Holland & Beckett, 2002).
        The target population of the study will comprise the top management staff in educational institutions, banking sector, commerce and manufacturing industries as well as science and technology industries with the total number of 1,212. The sample scope of the study is selected by using the Research Advisors (2006) at 95% confidence level of 5.0% margin of error to determine the sample size of 306. However, the sample for the study will be 306 top management staff (which include 16 top management staff from SUBEB and 20 from TESCOM, 20 directors and 25 supervisors from the States Ministry of Education, 24 registrars from the 24 tertiary institutions in the selected states, 84 bank management staff across all the selected banks in the selected states, 64 top management staff from commerce and industry and 64 from different organisations in science and technology industry). The selection of these management staff is based on the reason that, as operational managers, university graduates work directly under them; also these management staff are charged with the responsibility of evaluating and assessing the university graduates under them.
        The instrument for the study will be a researcher-designed questionnaire titled: “Labour Market Core Skills Requirements and University Graduate Soft Skills Competence Questionnaire (LMCSRUGSSCQ)”. This will comprise two sections “A and B”. Section “A” will comprise personal information of participants such as the name of organisation, types of organisation, locations and positions held. Section “B” will consist of thirty (30) items to be drawn from the research questions raised for the study.