EFFECT OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEME ON THE TRAINING OF OFFICE MANAGERS IN SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH EAST ZONE OF NIGERIA

By

NDUKA BLESSING C.

Presented To

Department of Office Technology

Abstract

This research work was carried out to investigate into the effect of industrial training scheme on the training of Office Managers. It was discussed under the following sub headings according to the purpose of the study: Objectives of Industrial Training, benefits derived from Industrial Training, causes and remedies to the poor implementation of Industrial Training programme. It was observed that the management problem of industrial training on the training of Office Managers was on how to achieve the organizational goal, poor visitation of students by supervision staff during training and non payment to students on attachment. This study helps students to achieve the practical aspect of learning, which enable them to perfect on the theoretical training. The population of the study was made up of 253 managerial students both Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Federal Polytechnic Oko and Abia State Polytechnic Aba. Four (4) research questions were formulated which guided the study. Thirty (30) structured questionnaires were used for data collection which was distributed to 165 managerial students from HNDI and HNDII in the selected tertiary institutions. Also, tables, percentile method were used in analysis of data collected and the statistical tool employed in testing the hypothesis wasChi Square. The findings reveals that the programme organized by the industrial training fund is relevant to students involved in skilled courses. It was recommended that the activities of the establishment in which they had their IT exposure are related to their course of study. There should be a line between the industries and schools so that the performance reports of the students would be sent to Industrial Training Fund (ITF) office after each industrial training experience for further assessment.

Table of Content

Title i

Approval ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Content v

List of Tables vii

List of Figure viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

11 Background of the Study 1

12 Statement of the Problem 3

13 Objective of the Study 4

14 Research Question 5

15 Research Hypothesis 5

16 Significance of the Study 6

17 Scope of the Study 7

CHAPTER TWO

Review of Related Literature

21 The Aims and Objectives of Industrial Training 8

22 Benefits Derived from Industrial Training 12

221 Impact of Information Technologies in Offices 15

222 Information Technology Skills 16

23 Causes of Poor Implementation of IT Programme 17

231 Bodies Involved in the Management of SIWES 20

24 The Remedies to the Poor Implementation of the

Programme 21

241 Industrial Training Fund Services 23

242 Performance Monitoring and Publication 30

243 Grievances and Redress Mechanism 30

244 Obligation and Expectations of ITF 31

25 Summary of Literature Review 33

CHAPTER THREE

Research Methodology

31 Design of the Study 35

32 Area of Study 36

33 Population of the Study 36

34 Sample and Sampling Technique 37

35 Method of Data Collection 38

36 Questionnaire Administration 39

37 Validation of the Instrument 39

38 Method of Data Analysis 39

CHAPTER FOUR

Presentation and Analysis of Data

41 Research Question One 41

42 Testing of Hypothesis 47

43 Discussion of Findings 58

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of Findings, Conclusions and

Recommendations

51 Restatement of the Problem 59

52 Summary of Findings 59

53 Conclusions 60

54 Recommendations 61

55 Limitation of Study 63

56 Suggestions for Further Study 63

References 64

Appendix 66

Questionnaire 67

List of Tables

Table I Composition of Population According to the

Institutions 37

Table II Sampling of the Study 38

Table III Research Question One 41

Table IV Research Question Two 43

Table V Research Question Three 44

Table VI Research Question Four 45

Table VII Observed and Expected Frequency for Research

Question One 49

Table VIII Observed and Expected Frequency for Research

Question Two 50

Table IX Observed and Expected Frequency for Research

Question Three 51

Table X Observed and Expected Frequency for Research

Question Four 52

Table XI Chi Square Test Statistics Computation No 1 53

Table

Table

Table

List of Figures

Fig 1 Structure of Industrial Training Fund 27

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

11 Background of the Study

Industrial Training is the training given to the students in tertiary institution in order to know the responsibilities of human resources development and how they will tackle their work/job after their school career

The Industrial Training Funds was set up by (SIWES) Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme programme to help students in tertiary institutions especially those offering practical courses such as Office Technology and Management students, Art and Applied Sciences, Engineering students etc to achieve their required training skills for their professions

This programme has brought about many positive effects on the students As the manager's job is to provide service to the general public, industrial training helps to expose managers to industrial behaviour in order to improve on practical aspect of their course According to Okafor (1993), this type of experience would expose students to the world of work and help them remedy the deficiencies of the classroom in terms of its practical components

Thus, the Industrial Training Fund programs help Office Managers to perfect in their profession For instance, some courses in Office Technology and Management line is Office Management System, Office Practice, Principle of Law, Advance Transcription, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Human Capital Management etc are being taught theoretical in school

In Polytechnics, Office Managers due go to four months Industrial Training (IT), in their first year, in second year another one year Industrial Training making them acquire the necessary skills to perfect in their course of study

Students experience during the course of their training will definitely help them to carry out their managerial work effectively provided that the programme of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is a continuous process The experiences gotten by students is a good tool that responds to a certain basic aspect of the students fullest development in the Office Management and Technology course making them acquire the necessary skills

The most serious problem facing the students before the introduction of the Industrial Training (IT) is unemployment Many of them do not possess the relevant and employable skills needed by employers, students are being faced with the problem of acquiring the needed practical knowledge Thereby, making the students to imagine everything that are being taught But the introduction of this IT programme has helped Office Managers to perform well, especially in getting direct contact with some of the new office gazettes that have been taught theoretically in school

The SIWES objectives is to help students to find solution to the problem of unemployment, to take their steps in the journey through their life career with pleasure, confidence, and to prepare students for the world

Taylor (1983) had concluded that students who have benefited from SIWES opportunities pass on to the next level and are ready to accept any challenges of learning skills in their career For this reasons the potential managers that went through the industrial training fund programme benefited from many effects needed for their experiences and exposure

12 Statement of the Problem

The management problem of the industrial training is on how to achieve the organization goal And the effort of well trained managers as Folayan (1998) stated is a sine quo non for the achievement of the organizational corporate goal

Before the introduction of Industrial Training Scheme, the Office Manager's attitude and performance in school and outside school was very discouraging

The Federal Military Government introduced this programme (IT) to guide and direct the Office Manager's learning so that they will carry out their work/job effectively and accurately

Atuenyi (1995), pointed out that "Office Managers need urgent training right from their year one in higher institution in order to meet up with the information technology demand in any organization"

Another problem bordering on this is the problem of how often the supervision staff in Industrial Training Fund (ITF) visits the students on attachment and allowance paid to students on attachment

13 Objective of the Study

The objective of the study is to find out the effect of Industrial Training Scheme on the training of Office Managers

Specifically, the study sought to:

1 Identify the aims and objectives of the Industrial Training

2 Find out the benefits that the entire students derive from Industrial Training (IT) Scheme

3 Examine the causes of the poor implementation of the programme

4 Examine the remedies to the poor implementation of the programme

14 Research Questions

This study sought answers to the following research questions

1 What are the aims and objectives of the Industrial Training?

2 What are the benefits derivable by students from the Industrial Training Scheme?

3 What are the causes of poor implementation of the programme?

4 What are the remedies to the poor implementation of the programme?

15 Research Hypothesis

To guide the study, the following hypothesis has been formulated to enhance authentication of the subject matter

Ho: Industrial Training Scheme has no effect on the training of

Office Managers in selected tertiary institution in South-East zone of Nigeria

H₁: Industrial Training Scheme has effect on the training of

Office Managers in selected tertiary institution in South-East zone of Nigeria

16 Significance of the Study

The study of the effect of industrial training scheme on the training of managers will help the students to achieve the practical aspect of learning, which will help them to perfect in the theoretical training

The industrial training will help the students to be more committed to the programme instead of relaxing and forge industrial training letters from any company, since they have known the importance of the programme

It helps the SIWES workers to be more committed to their work by making it compulsory for the students to acquire the necessary practical knowledge and experience required from them during the training period

The study in this training will help students to be cost conscious when dealing with customers or when using companies stationeries in their work place

The study will also help to create awareness to the public especially government establishments on the importance of the training so that the industrial workers will be accepted

17 Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is strictly on the effect of industrial training scheme on the training of Office Managers It focused on the aim and objective of industrial training scheme towards the students that are offering practical courses in tertiary institutions, especially in the training of Office Managers

To evaluate the benefits that the students derive and to find out the problems and solutions towards the training