Perceived Importance of Skill Acquisition through Apprenticeship Programmes among Building Construction and Metalwork Students in Technical Colleges

Abstract

The fact that students of technical colleges graduate without the required skills needed in the industries is one of the prevailing challenges of the institutions. This study explored the importance of skill acquisition through the apprenticeship pathway among technical college students. A descriptive survey was employed to examine a sample of 150 building construction and metalwork students from selected technical colleges in Ebonyi and Enugu States, Nigeria. Data were collected using a Technical College Apprenticeship Awareness Questionnaire (TCAPAQ) developed by the researchers, face-validated by three experts and has good internal consistency of α = 0.81. Simple percentages and Mean statistics were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that despite a high level of awareness (86%) and familiarities (50%) with apprenticeships, only a small fraction (15%) of students have considered undertaking apprenticeship programmes. Furthermore, 104 students indicated that their technical colleges do not offer or integrate apprenticeship opportunities, and 112 students expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion and awareness of the apprenticeship programmes. The results also revealed a strong belief among students on the importance of apprenticeship experience for improving job prospects, with 123 students acknowledging that individuals with such experience have better or much better employment opportunities. These findings underscore the need for educational institutions to enhance their outreach efforts, provide more accessible and detailed information, and integrate practical training components into their curricula, leveraging the apprenticeship programmes, to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and industry-required skills