THE EFFECT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ON SKILLED WORKFORCE AND MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TARABA STATE OF NIGERIA.

Shadrach Brandford Adams

DepartmentofGeneralStudies

Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State- Nigeria

E-mail: shadrachb.adams@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

The study examines the effect of vocational education on skilled workforce and manpower development with focus on secondary schools in Taraba State of Nigeria. It argues that the impact of technology on occupations, the tendency of employers to set higher educational requirements, and the need for employees with specialized training have made vocational education imperative. Thus, the high rate of imbalance and shortage of skilled personnel in the essential sectors of the state can be balanced through proper vocational education right from the secondary school level. The study adopted survey research design. It employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of obtaining data. The target population of the study was the secondary schools in Taraba State. Equally, to ensure reliability, results were determined using percentage, mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study shows that vocational education or career guidance and counseling can rightly develop skilled workforce in the state while lack of it in schools can significantly affect career choice among students  and in the long-term affecting the availability of skilled manpower in the critical sectors of the state.

Keywords: Vocational, education, skilled workforce, manpower, development