Producing Work-Ready Commercial Art Graduates: Stakeholders' Perceptions

Purpose: Graduate unemployment is widely reported not only in Ghana but also across the globe. The purpose of this study is to examine the relevance of the HND Commercial Art Programme, Graphic Design (CAPGD) option, to the graphic art industry and to determine the work readiness of graduates of HND CAPGD at the world of work. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, evaluative case study research design was adopted to examine the perspectives of stakeholders of CAPGD. It was a multiple case study, which involved faculty members, graduates and industry-based supervisors. The study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to obtain in-depth interpretations and conclusions that reflected the perceptions of the stakeholders. Findings: The qualitative results indicate that the existing curriculum, based on the old polytechnic educational system, does not provide adequate practical approach to teaching and learning processes. Hence the majority of graduates lack competencies to meet industry's expectations. Research limitations/implications: The key limitation is lack of database on the HND Graphic Design graduates at Takoradi Technical University. This affected the data collection process as the HND Graphic Design graduate participants were not easily accessible, and, as such, much effort and risk were required to contact them. Considering the implication for education policy, the findings propose stakeholders' collaboration to ensure cross fertilization of ideas (Nwajiuba et al., 2020). Hence, a compilation of database could engender further study in this area and thus form the bases of a mixed method approach resulting in in-depth analysis for fresh insights into the study. Originality/value: The findings provide unique insights into work readiness of Commercial Art graduates, specifically in Ghana, as it seeks to bridge a gap in literature.