Coping Mechanism Among Unemployed Graduates
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The general objective of this study is to determine the coping strategies among unemployed youths in Akala, Mushin Local government area.
The specific objectives include;
- Understanding the socio-economic implications of unemployment.
- Identifying the coping mechanisms among unemployed graduate.
- To recommend and suggest measures at reducing unemployment in Lagos State in Nigeria
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
This chapter reviews the literature on coping mechanism among unemployed graduates. It discusses issues arising from the topic of discuss as viewed from different perspectives, with a view of giving a theoretical and empirical foundation to the study.
IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYMENT
Employment commitment is a relevant factor in describing the experience of unemployment, because it could mitigate or buffer the negative consequences of unemployment (Fryer & Fagin, 1993; Fryer & Payne, 1984). However, individuals who are strongly committed to work will experience detrimental consequences if their job search is unsuccessful, because they will experience some sort of frustration or deprivation. It seems also relevant to focus on the importance of work, because Expectancy-Value Theory (EVr, Feather, 1990) highlight the importance of the value attributed to employment as an important factor in motivating people to look for jobs. Two different types of expectancies are involved in the concept of expectations as used within EVT (Feather, 1992), namely efficacy expectations and outcome expectancies. Efficacy expectations refer to a person’s conviction that he or she can successfully execute the required behaviour needed to obtain a certain outcome. Outcome expectancies refer to a person’s estimate that a given behaviour will lead to certain outcomes. Unemployed people with higher expectations of finding a job might also experience better psychological wellbeing. A person’s needs and values are considered to be determinants of motivated action through their effects on valences in EVT (Feather, 1992).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to a critical analysis of coping mechanism among unemployed graduates.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain a critical analysis of coping mechanism among unemployed graduates.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations are made, which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefit in addressing the challenges of unemployment.
Summary
This study aimed at having a critical analysis of coping mechanism among unemployed graduates. Three were raised. These objectives include: Understanding the socio-economic implications of unemployment, identifying the coping mechanisms among unemployed graduate, to recommend and suggest measures at reducing unemployment in Lagos State in Nigeria.
Conclusion
Based on the above findings pertaining to the objectives of the study the following conclusions are drawn.
The graduates in this research exposed remarkable resilience in coping with their situation of being in search for a job during the economic crisis. This study was used on three specific coping domains, namely seeking a job, spending the day, and coping with limited financial means. The graduates studied used both emotional and problem oriented coping strategies to deal with the situation. Regarding their problem solving strategies we see that they preferred a rather pragmatic attitude. We saw willingness to look for a job outside their specific field of study and below an academic level of study. Also, we saw, but not for everybody, a certain willingness to do unpaid work as a mean to get enrolled in the job market. This pragmatic attitude cannot be explained as a sign of desperation: doing everything because of being desperate. On the contrary, the respondents seem rather successful in putting their situation of being without a regular job into perspective.
Recommendation
Having established the fact that graduate unemployment exists in the study area, it becomes pertinent at this juncture to recommend some measures that will serve as coping mechanism, which will be of tremendously useful in solving the problems of graduate unemployment. These were gathered based on interactions during the course of the study. They are subsumed as follows:
Isolation is considered to be a common pitfall of unemployed graduate. The idea of “get out of the house”, find good place to socialize, conduct job search and reach out on a regular basis
Unemployed graduates should look around community and find worthwhile opportunities to use their skills and talents. This may be a way to gain new skills, engage in networking and keep them active and energized.
Proper educational and development policies. One of the primary objectives of developmental policy should be aimed at reducing unemployment to the barest minimum. The educational system should be overhauled to place less emphasis on theoretical education.
High priority should be assigned to the development of rural areas with a view of attracting more graduates in these places. Also, there should be proper student counselling in choosing careers. By and large; demographically, in term of population, parent or would be couple should be encouraged to adopt family planning system, bear lesser number of children and a mass campaign of family planning should be vigorously pursued to ensure slim down pollution for the nation as a whole.
REFERENCES
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- Cassidy, T. (2001). Self-categorization, coping and psychological health among unemployedmid-career executives. London: Thames Valley University.
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