The role of human resource consulting firms on graduates’ employability skills in Tanzania: the case of Dar es Salaam

Employability has become a subject of a concern and it is claimed that new graduates and employees at large do not possess the competencies required by employers. This study explored the role of Human Resources consulting firms on development of graduates’ employability skills in Tanzania. The study used data primarily collected from 33 practitioners working in different HR consulting firms in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The data was collected using an interview Data Analysis approach (QDA) under Braun & Clarke (2006) six-phase guide. The findings revealed that skills which are highly demanded in the labor market and promoted by HR consulting firms are personal branding, professional speaking and writing skills, entrepreneurial skills, business idea pitching and commercial awareness. The study also revealed that most favorable training methods used by preference are workshops, on the job training/ internship, video – based training, presentations, social media. Furthermore, the study found out that after training most graduates had the capability of being offered graduates’ apprenticeship program with different employers. Based on the study findings, the study has recommended educators to start imparting employability skills since early learning stages of students through realistic information. Employers to establish many opportunities as possible for the new graduates to grow and develop career wise but also policy makers should enact policies that will promote soft skills such as it can look on this in a quantitative manner since this is a qualitative study so as to get the actual statistics with hypothesis testing, it can conduct a survey to analyze other regions in Tanzania apart from Dar es Salaam. More appropriate and detailed recommendations have been provided in the last chapter