This study aims at establishing if discrimination actually exists between polytechnic and university graduates in Nigerian public and private sectors. The primary objectives are to investigate the reasons for discrimination; expose the myth surrounding the discrimination; examine the graduates’ job requirements to justify the need for concern about discrimination; investigate the performance effectiveness of polytechnic graduates; and compare the influence of certificate on the job performance of graduate in public and private sectors of Nigeria. Interview and survey questionnaire were administered using stratified sampling technique across 6 Polytechnics (one each from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria), as well as public and private non-education related sectors. 640 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analysed. Statistical tools employed were Factor analysis for validity-tests; Mode and Skweness for responses analysis and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare and contrast the performance of Polytechnic and University Graduates with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) IBM version 21. The findings revealed that while the performance of both HND and First degree holders is at par, the false beliefs and perceptions of management and the general public about the polytechnic education is the primary factor for discriminating against HND certificates; the next factoris the unfavorable differential government policies on employment and placement criteria for HND and First degree holders especially in the public sectors. Low entry (admission) requirement for the polytechnic education is the third factor in the list, while extreme focus of polytechnic curricula on technical skills was discovered as the last of the factors militating against HND certificates. The study therefore recommended that while polytechnic graduates engage more in self-research and study and adjoining of theoretical framework to their vocational skills, management and governing councils of the polytechnics should encourage the government to sensitize the concerned bodies in looking into admission requirements and curricula of the polytechnic for necessary updates. Finally, that employers and management in private and public sectors should begin to consider merits and not certificates in job placement, pay and promotion criteria