EMPLOYERS PERSPECTIVE OF THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS-GAP IN REAL ESTATE EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

The study examined the skills-gap in real estate education with the aim of identifying the important employability skills that are required for a graduate of Estate Management to excel in the Nigerian real estate industry. Data was collected with the aid of questionnaire survey distribution to one hundred and ninety-eight (198) employers within the study area. One hundred and thirty-one (131) questionnaires were duly filled, returned and considered ideal for the study. Data collected were analyzed with the use of relative importance index and principal component analysis. The study revealed that the most important employability skills from the perspective of the employers include teamwork, written communication, oral presentation, willingness to learn and adaptability. The study recommended that higher institutions of learning should adopt the University-Industry based approach so as to foster a good relationship between the employers and the academia.