Bridging skills gaps: evaluating VET reskilling and curriculum reforms for enhancing graduate employability in Tanzania

Graduate unemployment in Tanzania remains a significant issue, largely due to a substantial mismatch between university education and labour market demands, necessitating effective reskilling and curriculum reforms. Thus, the present study evaluates the effectiveness of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in reskilling university graduates and examines stakeholder perceptions of its suitability for enhancing employability skills. Using an interpretive phenomenological approach within a systems theory framework, data were collected through interviews with six university leaders, focus group discussions with 20 graduates, and document analysis of educational policies. Findings indicate that VET's competency-based training effectively addresses technical skills gaps but is limited by its focus on manual trades, cultural biases, and capacity constraints. To ensure graduates' skills align well with market needs, the study advocates for curriculum reforms integrating soft skills, digital literacy, and experiential learning, alongside industry-university partnerships and entrepreneurship education.