STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE PREPARATION OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (OTM) STUDENTS FOR LABOUR MARKET IN KOGI STATE

This study was carried out to examine the strategies for effective preparation of OTM students for the labour market in Kogi State. The study adopted survey research design. To guide the study, four research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated. The population for this study is 169 OTM students and lecturers of the department of OTM. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using Mean and t-Test Statistics. The analysis reviewed revealed that: the ICT-enabled content strategies include: training in industry-standard office software, incorporating online learning platforms, providing virtual internships, training on digital communication tools, cloud computing and data management; the entrepreneurship-enabled content strategy include: teaching development of business plans, training on online business, financial literacy and business management, effective business communication, creativity in entrepreneurship and training students on freelancing platforms; the practical orientation strategy include: partnering with local companies, creating simulated office environments, organizing field trips, offering workshops; facilitating collaborative group work; the soft skills-enable content strategy include: communication skills development, critical thinking and problem-solving exercises, time management and organizational skills, leadership and initiative development, conflict resolution skills and networking. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: OTM programs should update their curriculum to ensure a balanced integration of ICT skill training; introduce digital entrepreneurship courses; OTM lecturers should engage in continuous professional training; soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving should be given more emphasis in the OTM curriculum.