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Alford et al.  Advancements in Agricultural Development 
  Volume 1, Issue 3, 2020 
  agdevresearch.org 

1. Katrina R. Alford, Graduate Student, University of Florida, 305 Rolfs Hall PO Box 110540 Gainesville, FL 32611, 
trini@ufl.edu, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2769-1388  

2. J.C. Bunch, Associate Professor, University of Florida, 307A Rolfs Hall Gainesville, FL 32611, bunchj@ufl.edu, 
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8729-2349  

3. Absalon Pierre, Post Graduate Coordinator for Université Internationale D'Hispaniola-UNIDHI, AREA PROJECT-Haiti, 
University of Florida, 12 rue St-Patrick, Delmas 33, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, absulpeter@yahoo.fr, https://orcid.org/0000-
0003-0688-3409    

4. Boaz Anglade, Post-Doc Researcher, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110180, Gainesville, FL 32611 banglade@ufl.edu, 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7436-4056   

5. T. Grady Roberts, Professor, University of Florida, 117C Bryant Hall PO Box 112060, Gainesville, FL 32611, 
groberts@ufl.edu, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7618-7850  
 

 
27 

 

Employer Expectations for Graduates from Haiti’s Agricultural 
Universities 

K. Alford1, J. C. Bunch2, A. Pierre3
, B. Anglade4

, T. G. Roberts5 

 
 

  

Abstract 

Human capacity building in Haiti’s agricultural sector can be utilized to reduce the country’s food 
insecurity. Haitian agricultural university and technical schools are responsible for supplying 
workforce ready graduates and therefore play a role in poverty reduction. Previous research has 
been conducted to assess these institutions from the perspective of faculty, students, and farmers. 
However, the employer perspective has not been considered, which could lead to a disconnect 
between what employers and the university believe are essential skills for graduates to obtain. This 
study focused on identifying the perceptions of the Haitian agricultural workforce regarding the 
ability of technical schools to produce graduates. This study used a basic qualitative design involving 
interviews of Haitian agricultural employers. The interviews revealed employers perceptive of 
curriculum strengths and weaknesses as well as desired employer skills for graduates. Employers also 
provided insight into the current job opportunities for graduates as well as what makes an “ideal” 
employee. We found a disconnect between jobs available and the skills being taught to graduates to 
fill these jobs. While employers desire employees with strong soft skills, there is a need for more 
technical skills to be taught at the agricultural schools. 
 
Keywords 

Haiti, TVET schools, universities, capacity building, employer perception, curriculum reform 



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Introduction and Problem Statement 
 
A succession of shocks from natural disasters, structural weaknesses and political turmoil have 
severely impacted Haiti, resulting in an increasingly vulnerable population (FAO, 2019). It is 
estimated that almost 3.7 million people are in urgent need of action due to acute food 
insecurity, which is predicted to worsen (Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), 2019; FAO & 
World Food Programme (WFP), 2020). As a result, the government of Haiti issued an action plan 
that focused on having agriculture be the driving factor in economic recovery (Government of 
Haiti (GoH), 2010). According to David and Samuel (2014), the development of the agricultural 
sector cannot occur unless there is an effective extension system. 
 
Haiti will need to strengthen research, education, agricultural services, and institutions of the 
Ministry of Agriculture (Goertz, 2016). The extension services within Haiti need to be 
strengthened, since they link agricultural productivity to agricultural education using extension 
agents (Calixte, 2018). Extension services are important because they not only disseminate 
research to farmers but also communicate the needs of specialists and farmers to the 
researchers (Anaeto et. al, 2012). A review of extension services in South Africa determined 
that a “linear approach to development of agriculture innovation should be discouraged” (p. 
92), because it leaves out the opinions of stakeholders and farmers (David & Samuel, 2014). 
 
According to Mouzakitis (2010), improvements of vocational education and training should be 
based on needs assessment research. Research has been ongoing about the state of Haiti’s 
multiple agricultural institutions including Technical and Vocational Education and Training 
(TVET), Agricultural Universities and Extension Services from the perspective of faculty, farmers, 
and students (Albert et al, 2017; Calixte et al., 2019a.; Calixte et al., 2019b; Pierre et al., 
2018) however, the employer’s perspective has not been fully explored. Calixte et al. (2019b) 
recommended determining the skills and competencies employers desire for graduates, 
and Pierre et al. (2018) stated perspectives should be triangulated to provide a more complete 
picture of student preparedness.  
 

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 
 
Capacity is defined as “the ability of people, organizations and society to manage their 
affairs” (OECD, 2012, p. 7), and this process must be initiated from the inside, by the people 
themselves. Capacity development in turn focuses on the process of unlocking this capacity 
through various strategies, structures, resources, and relationships among the various actors 
(Baser & Morgan, 2008). Capacity development projects focus on multi-stakeholder 
engagement, in which an understanding of the context is needed to build dynamic relationships 
among stakeholders (Ika & Donnelly, 2017). Feedback from the environment is critical so that 
those in charge of the development of the system can revise their approaches based on 
the information they received (Elliot, 1989). In the context of Haiti, employer feedback is 
necessary for TVET schools to be able to gain valuable stakeholder knowledge on the best way 
to improve their programs (i.e., curriculum) as well as their graduates (i.e., the workforce), and 



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increase capacity among both. As capacity increases so does the ability for the system to 
increase economic growth, food security, and poverty reduction (Gill et al., 2017).  
 
According to Yilmaz (2008), social constructivism operates on the premise that knowledge is 
socially constructed. Humans’ understanding of the world is shaped through social context and 
social negotiations (Hwang, 1996). Rivera-Ferre et al. (2013) argued that agriculture is a 
complex socio-ecological system that must consider the human-human interactions within the 
system. Framing, the set of assumptions an individual holds, is important for navigating their 
mental map of a particular issue (Bolman & Deal, 2013). Framing involves subjective 
perspectives, and as such, any study involving an agricultural system depends on understanding 
the narratives used within the system (Rivera-Ferre et. al., 2003). The interactions between the 
agricultural institutions, faculty, graduates, and employers are influenced by the frames each 
hold regarding the agricultural system. Participation in decision making can bridge and/or 
change mental maps, therefore increasing capacity (Rivera-Ferre et. al., 2003). 
 
A systems thinking approach should be utilized to examine the interactions of entities to look at 
the whole picture and find interrelated parts (Senge, 1990). Systems thinking is focused on 
looking at the relationships and patterns of interdependent components of a system through a 
non-linear perspective (Leischow & Milstein 2006). Previously agricultural development efforts 
utilized a linear approach to problem solving, but a shift to holistic systems approach that 
focuses on interconnectedness between components of the agricultural sector is needed 
(Banson et al., 2016). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 
(UNESCO) acknowledge that TVETs have a reciprocal relationship to changes due to 
globalization, technology, policy, and so forth, and their TVET strategy includes utilizing a 
holistic approach to adapt to change (UNESCO, 2015). Within this context of systems and 
relationships, the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) provides the framework for Universities 
to work with employers to rebuild the Extension service (TAP, 2016).  
 
The AIS can be divided into four components (a) research and education, (b) bridging 
institutions, (c) business and enterprise, and (d) the enabling environment (Hall et al., 2006). 
The components form a network of actors who work together to bring about agricultural 
innovations (TAP, 2016). Figure 1 provides a visual of the AIS system and the linkages between 
research education and business and enterprise. Employers should be involved in the 
development of curriculum since they have an understanding of what skills and competencies 
graduates need (Kraak et al., 2016). Within the Haitian TVET system, it is has been found that 
employer insight is lacking regarding curricular development, which can affect the employability 
of graduates (Calixte et al., 2019b).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



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Figure 1 
Conceptual diagram of an Agricultural Innovation System 

 
 

Purpose 
 
This study was part of a larger study funded by USAID focused on examining the ability of 
Haitian agricultural universities to supply work-ready graduates. Previous research examined 
this from the perspective of university faculty (Pierre et al., 2018), and considered employment 
opportunities of graduates (Calixte et al., 2019b). This study focused on identifying Haitian 



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employers’ perception of graduates and curriculum. Four research questions guided the 
inquiry:  
1. What are the employment opportunities for recent graduates?  
2. What is the ideal employee?  
3. What are employers’ desired skills and competencies for new employees? 
4. What are employers’ perceptions of the university curriculum?  
 

Methods 
 
This study employed a basic qualitative design (Flick, 2007) using a social constructivist lens. 
Interviews were conducted with 17 Haitian agricultural employers using a semi-structured 
interview guide with 22 open-ended questions. The interview guide was developed based on 
the literature and a panel of experts familiar with the context. This panel included Haitian and 
Haitian American researchers as well as Americans with previous research experience in Haiti.  
 
The target population for this study was Haitian agricultural employers. The sample was 
composed of 17 employers who were involved in all types of work in Haiti. The individual 
participants involved in this study were mostly Directors and Assistant Directors in their 
respected companies (P001, P002, P005, P006, P008, P009, P010, P013, P015, and P016). The 
remaining individuals held the offices of Coordinator, or Vice President/rector (P003, P004, 
P007, P011, P012, P014, and P017). Each of the individuals identified that they had been 
employed for many years in these roles. Job duties ranged from financial (P001, P010, P011, 
P012, P013), promotion efforts (P002, P003, P007), research (P06, P09), and supervision of 
specific programs (P04, P08, P014, P015, P016). Participants self-identified as working in 
extension (n = 4), research (n = 4), general agriculture (n = 9), social programs (n = 3), 
agroindustry (n = 3), environmental protection (n = 2) and sustainable agriculture (n = 2). 
Employers may have identified their work as falling into multiple categories. The number of 
employees each employer hired varied. The number of employees ranged from 10 to 120 at any 
given time. In addition to full time employees, one employer (P003) identified having employed 
70 interns. Female employment ranged from 0% to 40% among the employers involved in this 
study, although employers did state they attempted to hire equally among males and females. 
 
Data were collected using face-to-face interviews at the employer site. The interviews 
conducted with the employers lasted one to two hours. Interviews were conducted in 
French and Creole by a Haitian researcher and translated to English later. In addition to the 
researcher, a research assistant was present. The researcher and research assistant took 
detailed notes during each interview. Following each employer interview, the research team 
created a detailed case file for each individual employer, which included transcripts, interview 
summary, and notes. Once the detailed case file was completed, the research assistant verified 
the accuracy of each case file. At the completion of the verification process, results were 
presented at meetings and conferences to participants as a form of member checking 
(Merriam, 1998). Their feedback enriched the data by providing further details and confirmed 
other conclusions.  



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Data were analyzed using a basic thematic analysis using line-by-line coding (Gibbs, 2007). The 
first round of coding led to initial codes which were then organized into themes. To establish 
dependability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) in the analysis, two researchers collaborated on the initial 
analysis. A Haitian researcher analyzed 17 case files in French and an American researcher 
analyzed the same 17 case files translated to English. Analyses were compared after each case 
file was analyzed and the researchers collaborated to refine coding techniques.  
 

Findings 
 
Employment Opportunities for graduates 
Three themes emerged from the data regarding employment opportunities for recent 
graduates: not enough jobs, relationships between employers and university/TVET partnerships 
in securing a job, and expectations from employers regarding field versus management jobs.  
 
Not Enough Jobs for Recent Graduates  
There is a high degree of unemployment in Haiti which has resulted in a few job opportunities 
for graduates. Employer recruitment efforts reflect the external environment of there being 
more people than jobs. Employers do not have to spend much time recruiting because workers 
are taking the initiative to apply for limited jobs and/or employers use their social contacts to 
fill positions. 

High unemployment. Employers are faced with the situation where there are more 
applicants than job openings. P002 stated “I cannot hire all people who seek employment due 
to the lack of funds.” This is echoed by P012 who stated, “I will not have enough employment 
for the quantity of people who will apply.” P16 stated that when they recruited online, they 
were shocked by the number of applicants but that this was an indication of the high level of 
unemployment. The hiring process is highly competitive (P001) because of the scarcity of jobs.  

Recruitment. A common thread among employers was that they did not have to recruit 
much to fill positions. P002 mentioned that they did not even have to advertise to fill positions. 
P001 stated that others bring their resumes to the company who then follow up if they meet 
the job requirements. P004 mentioned that they only recruit if there is a special project, but 
often people would bring them their resumes. If employers recruit workers, they utilize the 
following calls in Le Nouvelliste (a national newspaper), online recruitment tools such as 
JobPaw, and social contacts such as contacting professionals or universities for 
recommendations.  
 
University Partnerships 
Several employers mentioned that they partner with schools in internships which led to job 
offers. According to P008, recruitment was done through a program or a process of selection 
during the internship program offered to fourth year students. After this internship, some are 
hired and some benefit from scholarship programs. P003 had a similar program at his 
institution, where they directly contacted the Deans to recruit interns. P003 explained that 
when starting a new project, they would recruit at academic institutions based on the theme of 



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the project.  P013 recruited among previous intern students from different colleges who had 
some prior experiences with his company. At P014’s institution, recruitment of new 
agronomists depended on the department and colleges. Although P009 did not directly recruit 
new employees, he did say that he had great contacts with the universities.  
 
Employers Perception of Field Versus Management Jobs 
Employers appear to prefer hiring recent graduates into technician and field agent roles. P013’s 
company offered employments as technician and experimental farm agent. P001 reported 
he recruited young (new graduates) agronomists to work in water management and 
area management. Those who were employed in area management worked closely with 
farmers. He described these area managers as technicians filling an extension role. P12 hired 
both engineer-agronomists and technicians but the last group is the largest since they are more 
practical than the first group. P006 explained that job opportunities were more evident in the 
field, like at the technical school of agriculture, than at the managerial level. He elaborated that 
managerial level jobs required someone experienced with autonomy and responsibility which 
was not suited for a recent graduate. At the management level, he believed these positions 
were for the professional and more experienced individuals. For example, one of the vacancies 
at his unit was in monitoring and evaluation. For him, this required someone with lots of 
experience, and not a new graduate. However, a young graduate might be hired to support a 
person in this role to gain experience.  
 
The Ideal Employee- Desired Skills and Competencies  
Employers consider their ideal employer to be well rounded and having both personal 
competencies, key transferable skills, as well as necessary qualifications to complete their job.  
 
Personal Competencies 
Employee motivation and work ethic were mentioned by several employers as being important 
for an ideal employee. P001 valued an employee who displayed a strong work ethic. He would 
be more likely to give a job to a less experienced employee if they demonstrated a strong work 
ethic. P008 desired graduates with the competency of punctuality. P002 was not satisfied with 
his current agronomist because of the employee’s lack of motivation. As such, he seeks an 
employee who possesses internal motivation to complete job tasks. P004 related that at their 
company they so not do babysitting and their employees must be proactive and willing to work. 
Between two interns that were hired, the individual with the higher GPA was not as valued as 
the individual who was proactive.  
 Key transferable skills. Adaptability to change was a skill highly valued by employers. 
P003 explained that in many cases the job description may change from the original time of 
hire, so it was important that employee be able to adapt. This was also stated by P001 who felt 
that one of the most important competencies to hold were one’s ability to adapt to change. 
P009 favored employees who display an entrepreneurial spirit and were open-minded to solve 
problems. P004 wanted an employee who is bilingual. She explained that the ability to speak 
another language like English or Spanish was good for the employee and company. Additionally, 
P003 valued an employee with strong communication skills, critical thinking 
ability, and leadership skills. P012’s ideal employee has the ability to work in a team setting. He 



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desired employees who understood team dynamics and can function well in a team. P008 also 
mentioned that he desired employees who were competent in teamwork.  
 
Job Qualifications  
To be successful, P001 felt that employees needed to be competent in adult learning and 
agricultural entrepreneurship. P006 wanted to see graduates who had strong competencies in 
the areas of extension and research. P016 felt that key transferable skills such as teamwork and 
being adaptable were important job qualifications. In contrast P012 and P015 were more 
concerned with the technical competency of the student then most. They did not think the 
other competencies were as important as the technical ability of the employee. P004 also 
desired employees who understood the faming system. 
 
P010 and P011 both exclaimed that graduates with the competency to deliver educational 
programs and evaluate those programs would be highly effective. P014 also wanted graduates 
who could deliver training programs and work in a team environment. P006 focused on 
evaluation as being necessary for success but stressed that this competency could not be built 
without experience. He thought that students who have the capacity to evaluate programs 
would be highly desired in the field. P017 thought all competencies were important, however, 
employees who displayed strong competencies in gender issues in agriculture and program 
planning were most desired.  
 
Current Curriculum Strengths and Weaknesses  
Strengths 
The primary theme that emerged from the employers was that the current curriculum prepares 
students theoretically for their work. P006 stated that the theoretical content was very rigid, 
and students were really good in theory and had access to a lot of information due to the 
internet. P013 supported this notion by exclaiming that students were really excellent in 
learning theory and memorization. P015 also spoke about how Haitian colleges of agriculture 
curriculum offered a solid theory base for graduates that allowed students to pursue 
postgraduate studies abroad without any problem. Students could take the theory taught and 
apply it to their current work context (P003). Aside from being strong theoretically, P001 
thought that the inclusion of general education courses was a strength, because they helped 
develop a holistic graduate. He further explained that these courses helped graduates take 
opportunities.  
 
Weakness 
Employers highlighted several weaknesses of the curriculum, but the primary weakness was the 
lack of practicums to go with the strong theoretical base. Employers felt that both the curriculum and 
the structure of the schools were contributing to this weakness. 
 Lack of practical experience within the curriculum. P008 said the program of study 
needed to be adapted to the reality of production to produce competent professionals in the 
field. He advocated the entire curriculum be changed because the curriculum did not reflect the 
actual needs to the country. He felt that focusing the curriculum more on production would 
give students more opportunity for practice. P002 echoed this by saying that the curriculum 



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was not complete because graduates did not have the capacity to solve practical problems. He 
lamented that the lack of practice was a problem and caused many graduates to be 
incompetent in the field. P010 and P014 both complained about the lack of practice in graduate 
curriculum in Haiti. In addition, P013 deplored that students were really good in memorization 
and theoretically knew the content but lacked practical experience. 

Structural issues contributing to the curricular weakness. P002 felt that the absence of 
laboratories was to blame for the lack of practical experience. Students are unable to gain 
and/or practice practical skills because of the shortage of laboratories. P007 talked about the 
poor infrastructure at the university, and he felt that if infrastructure were improved this would 
allow for better quality laboratories for students to gain skills. P009 supported this notion 
by simply saying laboratories were not in functioning operation. Although P009 did not 
reference the type of laboratories, he was most likely referring to both science type 
laboratories and practical field type laboratories. P007, P008, P010, P011, and P014 all made 
the case that due to lack of infrastructure students were unable to practice skills and 
technology. As an example, P017 explained that when they did a soil test or a pH to analyze the 
soil, there were no ways to see the results. The lack of practical skills in the curriculum is tied to 
the lack of resources students have in obtaining these practical skills.  
 
Curriculum Improvement  
When thinking about curriculum improvement, several of the participants had 
recommendations in this area. These recommendations focused on acquisition of practical skills 
for graduates and faculty development. 
 
Acquisition of Practical Skills 
Employers felt that the disconnect between content taught at the schools and the reality in the 
field needed to be addressed. P001 and P016 said the curriculum should focus on “real” needs 
of the market and country. The curriculum did not correspond to the market needs. In fact, 
P017 said that the curriculum of the colleges of agriculture did not address 50% of the 
market need. This involves the curriculum focusing more on practice and less on theory (P008, 
P011). P001 recommended more emphasis be put on time for practice and entrepreneurship 
theory and skills. 

Desired Practical Skills. Although participants mentioned that students lacked practical 
agriculture skills, very few employers mentioned specific practical agricultural skills they desired 
to see. Two participants did provide some examples, P016 stated that students should have 
skills in soil and arboriculture and P10 said that new agronomists needed to have experience 
with the environment. Many employers though focused on non-agriculturally related skills such 
as software knowledge and skills. P002, felt that new graduates should be emerged in 
curriculum that is focused on computer technologies both hardware and software. P009 would 
like to see students’ study and master specific programs such as Word, Excel, and statistical 
software. Along with including software in the curriculum, P008 insisted that the curriculum 
include writing and presentation practices to increase students’ ability to communicate 
effectively. Additionally, P008 and P014 explained that the curriculum should teach students to 
use research results and make decisions. In fact, P016 supports this notion by stating students 
should know how to analyze data using software.  



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 Infrastructure Changes. To address the need for more practical skill acquisition 
institutions needed to invest in more laboratories and resources. P011 said that agricultural 
sciences could not be thought inside four walls. Moreover, P002 mentioned emphasis should be 
put on building practice fields and laboratories to allow students to develop practical skills. 
P004 stated that institutions should have more labs with adequate laboratory kits 
and materials.  
 
Faculty Development 
Employers stated that curriculum improvements need to consider faculty development. P017 
said that faculty could not continue to use tchala (an old copy or notes book). P004, P015, and 
P017 all recommended professional development programs for faculty regarding teaching 
methods. Specifically, P004 stated, professors should know and understand the art and science 
of teaching. P003 was concerned about the teaching methods used by faculty, with the 
implication that faculty must understand and use different methods 
 

Conclusions, Discussion, and Recommendations 
 
Employers state that high unemployment is an issue for new graduates seeking jobs with supply 
far outstripping demand. However, partnerships between the employers and educational 
institutions have produced jobs for graduates. Internships primarily are the method that 
employers use to recruit directly from the schools. It is recommended that the agricultural 
schools invest in developing more internship programs with various agribusinesses. In addition, 
research should be conducted to determine the prevalence and strength of existing 
partnerships.  
 
Employers view management level positions as being for those with more experience and are 
not a new graduate position and prefer for new graduates to take technician and field agent 
roles. This employer mindset should be taken into consideration by Haitian agricultural schools 
so that they can adequately determine which areas of the curriculum should be modified. If 
field positions are what is mostly available for new graduates, the curriculum may want to 
emphasize the more practical skills so graduates can be ready for the available jobs. This is in 
line with employers who said that technical competencies and practical experiences are both 
desired. However, employers did not provide specific agricultural skills they expected graduates 
to be competent in and further investigation should occur in order to make appropriate 
curricular modifications. 
 
The employers in this study support this argument that soft skills and personal competencies 
are equally as important as the technical skills. Mcquaid and Lindsay (2005) stated that 
individual factors are important to holistically assess an individual’s employability. Baser and 
Morgan (2008) argued Haitian employers are looking for schools to increase organizational 
development which focuses “human and organisational qualities such as resourcefulness, 
identity, resilience, innovation, collaboration, adaptiveness, courage, imagination and 
aspiration” (p. 52). According to Mcquaid and Lindsay (2005) personal competencies focus on 



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attributes such as self-motivation, initiative, and proactivity while key transferable skills involve 
adaptability, communication skills, teamwork and problem solving. TVET schools are 
recognizing that their graduates will encounter many types of jobs and are trying to prepare 
their graduates to be versatile (Calixte et al., 2019b) and employers supported their efforts for 
the inclusion of soft skills. Research should be conducted to determine if universities and TVET 
schools are deliberately teaching soft skills and graduate’s efficacy in these soft skill areas.  
 
In keeping with systems thinking, this static image of desirability of soft skills in employees does 
not demonstrate the whole picture of graduate preparedness. Employers view the curriculum 
as being very strong theoretically but lacking in practical aspects, which is apparent when 
employers describe their employees not receiving much practical technical training. With many 
of the opportunities for recent graduates focused on field work, the need for the curriculum to 
focus on these practical opportunities is evident. Employers mention the lack of field 
experience inhibits student success which is supported by Calixte et al. (2019c) who found the 
lack of resources made it difficult to implement practical experiences. It is recommended that 
the schools invest in labs and field equipment to ensure graduates receive practical experience. 
 
Employers note that faculty need professional development to assist them with teaching 
methods. Looking holistically at the curriculum, employers recognize faculty need proper 
teaching strategies when designing the curriculum to meet their students’ needs. Riebe et al. 
(2016) state that to deliver desired learning experiences, an understanding of curriculum design 
and teaching strategies is necessary. It is recommended that professional development should 
be conducted to ensure faculty are prepared to meet graduates needs.   
 
Universities and TVET schools should continue to teach theoretical knowledge, with an 
emphasis on soft skills to students. However, incorporation of soft skills into the curriculum 
should not come at the expense of technical/practical skill development of the graduates. As 
such, capacity needs to be developed across all dimensions so that graduates can interact with 
all parts of the system in which they are working within (Gill et al, 2017). Should these 
recommendations be implemented, further research should be conducted to determine if 
employers notice a change in recent graduate preparedness. Ika and Donnelly (2017) stated 
that the relationship between stakeholders is important for capacity development, Thus, 
Haitian universities and TVET schools need to address employers’ needs for both soft skills and 
practical experiences so that graduates can become effective bridging institutions between 
stakeholders (TAP, 2016). Lastly, research is needed to gain a better understanding of 
additional external factors which affect graduates’ abilities to act as bridging institutions from 
the employer’s perspective. 
 

 
 
 
 



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Acknowledgements 
 
This study is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the 
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the cooperative agreement 
# AID-OAA-A-15-00039.  The contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not 
necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. 
 

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