Skills Required by Graduates of Technical Colleges for Self-Employment in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Works in Enugu State
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of this study was to determine skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in electrical installation work in Enugu State. Specifically, the study identified:
- Skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in domestic
- Skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in industrial
- Skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in cable
- Skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in winding of electrical
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LTIERATURE
The Literature review for this study is organized under the following sub- headings:
Conceptual Framework
- Skill Acquisition
- Domestic Installation
- Industrial Installation
- Cable Jointing
- Winding of Electrical Machines
- Theoretical Framework
- Review of Related Empirical Studies
- Summary of Review of Related Literature Conceptual Framework
Skill Acquisition
Skills have been explained by many authors. Osinem and Nwoji (2008) skill as a well established habit of doing something that involves the acquisition performance of an operation. Osinem, (2008) defined skill as an individual capacity and feeling within a specifies context and task domain. Okorie (2003) referred to skill as expertise practical ability dexterity and tact, it is an organized sequence of action, proficiency executed and usually displaying a flexible habit of acting, thinking and behaving in such a way that the process becomes natural to the individual through repetition and practice which implies mastery (Ochieagha, 1995). Osuala (2004) referred to skill as an activity that requires controlled physical movements to be made under the guidance of minds, which receives its stimulus through sensory input. Therefore skill is acquired attitudes and behaviours after an exposure to theories and practices in a field of study. Skill is the ability to do something with a degree of proficiency resulting from certain behaviour pattern in respect to smoothness, speed and accuracy.
Okorie and Ezeji (1988) explained that possession of skill is to demonstrate the habit of acting, thinking or behaving in a specific activity which has become so natural to the individual through repetition or practice such that it becomes automatic. Central among this definition is the idea that skill could be regarded as ability, which is an outcome of learning and practice to the point of perfecting, which could be applied subsequently by the learner. The result is accuracy in carrying out a task through organized learning and repetitive practice. Acquisition of skills exposes the learner to the specific skills or relevant activities embodying the skill.
Okorie (2000) stated that skills are acquired when procedural instructions are matched with performance activities. Repetition is the watch word. For skills to be acquired and developed there must be opportunity for participation and practice of such skills under real life condition. To acquire and develop skills, Okorie and Ezeji (1988) further stated that three factors are involved namely imitation, repetition, and participation. Mgbeahurike (2000) listed among other processes of skill acquisition (a) observation students will watch the skill operation performed by the teacher in real life to enable them form concept (b) Imitation – Students following the example of what the teacher has done through demonstration and learning by doing, (c) Manipulation- this means to operate, handle, for example the act of tighten and loosen of bolt and nuts. It is demonstration practices (d) Performing- carry out the activities taught and would be guided on what to do (e) perfecting- This is highest form of skill acquisition process. After much practices, the students becomes conversant with the demands and task of the operation. They become expert and saleable.
A skill is a learnt response in actions, words or deeds to objects, situations and issues. Once learned, the skills are relatively permanent and people become effect in performing these skills in everyday living. Holding (1985) stressed that in the process of acquiring skills in Electrical Installation works. The following methods could be used;
- Identification of tools
- Use of tools, equipment and materials and their
- Speed and accuracy of work done
- Job planning and analysis of tasks
- Utilization of relevant principles and
- Reading diagrams, symbols and drawing.
- Understanding summative evaluation of overall work done both in the workshop, laboratories and in drawing
Domestic Installation
The goals of Domestic Installation module are to provide the trainee with the knowledge and skill to enable him carry out complete electrical installation in a building and its associated equipment (NBTE, 2001). Practice required understanding electrical working diagrams, knowing different types of domestic surface wiring and domestic conduct wiring, principles of protecting electrical devices and install, them understand sequence for inspecting and testing domestic installation understand and various types of lamps for illumination and uses.
Electricity services to households are a major leap in technological development. Most households chores that use to be time consuming, energy sapping and dreadful becomes easier, faster and interesting with the use of electrical appliance. Electricity is the choice energy resource for everybody (Ogbuanya, 2005).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
This chapter describes the design of the study, area of the study, population for the study, instrument for data collection, validation of the instrument, reliability of the instrument, method of data collection and method of data analysis.
Design of the Study
A survey research design was adopted for the study. According to Gal, Gall and Borg (2007) a survey is a method of data collection using questionnaire or interviews to collect data from a sample that has been selected to represent a population to which the findings of the data analysis can be generalized. Hence the questionnaire on skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self- employment in electrical installation trades will be used to collect data from the population for analyses.
Area of the Study
The study was carried out in Enugu State of Nigeria. Enugu state is one of the thirty six states of Nigeria. Enugu State is located in the south-eastern geopolitical zone. It is made up of three senatorial zones and seventeen Local Government Areas. The state has seven government technical colleges that are offering electrical installation trades. The schools are Government Technical College Enugu, Government Technical College Nsukka, Technical College Udi, Technical College Umoka, Technical College Akpugo Eze, Technical College Akpuoga Nike and Government technical college Mgbudi. These seven colleges are chosen because they are only colleges that are offering electrical installation trades in the state.
Population for the Study
The population for the study comprised 35 respondents, 22 who were teachers and 13 workshop assistants of electrical installation from technical colleges in Enugu State. The population is based on information collected from personnel services unit of each school. The choice of electrical installation teachers and workshop assistants is based on the fact that students are not knowledgeable about the skill required in electrical installation. The absence of sampling is as a result of size of the population.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter presents the results of the data analysis for the study. The presentation was organized according to the research questions and null hypotheses that guided the study.
Research Question 1
What are the skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in domestic installation?
The data for answering research question 1 are presented in Table 1
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter contains the re-statement of the problem, summary of procedure used, the principal findings of the study, implications of the study, conclusion, recommendations and the suggestions further study.
Restatement of the Study
The social and economic tensions in the Nigeria scene have led many to query the relevance of the Nigerian education system (Ndu, 2000). Education is a means of social mobility and the key basis by which employers decide who gets the opportunity to work. Education is not just an end in itself but an investment, a means to an end. Adamachi and Romaine (2000) asserted that any amount of money spent on education is a legitimate investment in the nation’s future. Education produces the attitudes, skills, knowledge and personalities upon which modern technology, industrialization, development and production depend.
Unfortunately, the social and economic changes of today have changed the job demands of making technical college graduates either unemployable or ill fitted for the demands of the jobs they get. The amount of periods allocated to practical classes in the schools time table is very small compared with the theoretical classes thereby making the technical education to be largely theoretical without the ability to equip the youths coming out of technical colleges with skills to live and fit into the world of work. The options available to technical college graduates as stated in the National Policy on Education among others are to secure employment, set up their own business invariably, becoming self employed and be able to employ others (FGN, 2004). These goals with respect to electrical installation work are yet to be achieved (Aina, 1998).
The technical college graduates seeking employment could not secure it because they needed skills for self employment. Hence, it becomes imperative to investigate the skills required by graduates of technical graduates for self employment in Enugu State. Specifically, the study identified:
- Domestic installation
- Industrial installation
- Cable jointing
- Winding of electrical
Summary of Procedures Used
The study adopted survey research design. The population for the study was 35 which consists 22 teachers of electrical installation and maintenance works and 13 workshop attendants in technical colleges in Enugu State. A questionnaire consisting of 110 items was developed and used for data collection. The questionnaire was face validated by three experts from Department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The experts were asked to scrutinize each item of the questionnaire for clarity of statements. They also examined the appropriateness and suitability of all items of the questionnaire in providing appropriate responses or data for answering each of the research questions. Their suggestions and recommendation were used in the final production of the questionnaire items.
Cronbach alpha method was used to estimate the reliability coefficient of the instrument. A total of 35 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents by the researcher and with the aid of three trained research assistants. The completed copies of questionnaire were collected after the interval of one week. The data collected were analyzed using Mean for answering the four research questions while t-test statistic was used to test the four null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.
Major Findings
Based on the data analyzed, the following major findings were found:
- Twenty five skills are required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in domesticinstallation
- Graduates of technical colleges required thirty two skills in industrial installation forself-employment
- Twenty three skills are required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in cablejoining
- Graduates of technical colleges required twenty five skills in winding of electricalmachines
- There was no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical installation teachers and workshop assistants on skills requiredby graduates of technical colleges for self-employment in domestic installation.
- There was no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical installation teachers and workshop assistants on skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in industrial installation.
- There was no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical installation teachers and workshop assistants on skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in cable
- There was no significant difference between the mean responses of electrical installation teachers and workshop assistants on skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in winding of electrical machines.
Implication of the Study
The findings of this study had implications for graduates of electrical installation and maintenance work from technical colleges, teachers, skill acquisition centres and the government. Graduates of electrical installation and maintenance work from technical colleges will adopt the skills identified in the study in order to set up electrical installation businesses and earn their living. Teachers of electrical installation and maintenance work will see necessary to learn more about skills required for self employment in domestic, industrial, cable joint and winding of electric machines since these types of skills are omitted in the curriculum. These teachers will now educate their students on various skills required for self employment in electrical installation and maintenance work. Skills acquisition centres will inculcate the skills identified to their programmes for training of unemployed graduates or youths in the society. The findings also have implication for government. The Government through her National Board for Technical Education or national commission for colleges of education will integrate skills required for self employment identified to the curriculum of technical colleges or colleges of education in the country.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:
There are many unemployed graduates of electrical installation from technical colleges due to lack of electrical installation and maintenance work skills which cover skills in domestic installation, industrial installation, cable joint and winding of electrical machines. The study was carried out and found that the graduates required aforementioned skills for self employment in Enugu State.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:
- All the skills identified in this study should be packaged and use to retrain the graduates of electrical installation and maintenance work at skills acquisition
- Teachers of electrical installation and maintenance work should be retrained by government on the implementation of the skills identified for self employment in domestic, industrial, cable joint and winding of electrical
- The identified skills required for self employment in electrical installation and maintenance work should be integrated into the programme of skills acquisition centres across the
- Youths should be encouraged to embark on self employment using identified skills in domestic, industrial, cable joint and winding of electrical machines
- Necessary tools and equipment should be donated to youths ready to embark on self employment using identified
- Relevant equipment and machines should be given to technical colleges for effective implementation of skills for self employment in electrical installation and maintenance
Suggestions for Further Study
The following are suggested for further studies:
- Skills required by graduates of technical colleges for self employment in electrical installation work in other States of
- Facilities required by graduates for the establishment of electrical installation and maintenance work small and medium scale industries in Enugu State
- Skills improvement needs of teachers for effective teaching of electrical installation and maintenance work to students of technical colleges in Enugu
- Capacity building needs of teachers for effective teaching of electrical installation and maintenance work to students of technical colleges in Enugu
- Resource inputs required for the implementation of electrical installation and maintenance work in technical colleges in Enugu States
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