P. C. Duhu and Bamedele, A.

Department of Electrical Technology

ModibboAdama University of Technology, Yola

E-mail:  patrickchindad@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to determine the perception of employers and graduates of technical colleges on skills improvement needs in electrical equipment maintenance and repairs in Adamawa state. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study.  The study adopted descriptive (survey) research design. Purposive sampling was technique was used to select a sample of 114 respondents made up of 83 graduates of technical colleges and 31 employers. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Perception of Employers and Graduates of Technical Colleges on Skills Improvement Needs in Electrical Equipment Maintenance and Repairs of in Adamawa State. The questionnaire was developed by the researchers. The questionnaire was validated by three specialists in the department of electrical technology education, Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola. The validated instrument was subject to trial testing on 25 graduates of technical colleges and 10 employers in Taraba state. Cronbach Alpha was used to compute the reliability for internal consistency. A reliability index of 0.82 was obtained. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses formulated were tested using t-test at.05 level of significance. Some of the findings of the study revealed that the practicing technical college graduates needed advanced skills in domestic and industrial wiring such as interpretation of wiring diagrams of building plans and repairs of modern electrical equipment using diagnosing machines. The researchers concluded that graduates of technical colleges in Adamawa state needed skills improvement in some modern electrical equipment and the use of modern diagnosing machines. They recommended that curriculum reviewers of technical colleges should includethe modern electrical equipment and modern techniques of diagnosing and repairs in the curriculum of technical colleges. Similarly, workshops should be organized from time to time by the relevant agencies of government to update their skills for effective performance.

Keywords: Perception, Employers, Technical College Graduates, Improvement needs, Electrical Equipment, Maintenance and Repairs.