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ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS IN THE USE OF VISUALIZATION IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING METALWORK FABRICATION IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Today’s technical college students are expected to learn skill content better to the extent that they can fit into 21st century jobs. In doing so, the students’ are expected to develop the “hard” technical skills as well as the “soft” people skills necessary to be successful in the industry level. “Core,” “key,” “transferable,” “general,” “non-technical” and “soft” are all terms that have been used synonymously to define the work skills needed most in industry. While the semantics of the term used do exist, there is no doubt that there is a need for such skills in the workplace. Core skills are the technical know how and the methodology of carrying out the works involve in the practical activities in the welding and fabrication industry. The core skills emanated from safety precautions on tools and materials handling down to the finished products processes. Key skills are things that craftsmen need to posses if their team is to thrive and succeed. These range from ability to choose the right people and deciding who does what, to communicating with, developing and motivating people. This involves the supervisors’ duty of setting direction, communicating that vision passionately to those they work with, and helping colleagues understand and commit to that vision. Supervisor, on the other hand, are responsible for ensuring that the vision is implemented efficiently and successfully.
A supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day performance of a small group. It may be a team, or a shift. The supervisor has experience in what the group does, but is not necessarily better at it than everyone he/she supervises. The supervisor’s job is to guide the group toward its goals, see that all members of the team are productive, and resolve problems as they arise. His duties include correcting and evaluating the craftsmen general skills. Hewitt (2005) posited that employers have begun turning their focus and attention to evaluating these general skills. Atkins
(1999) stated that over the last decade there has been a steady stream of reports and papers urging
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the higher education sector to take key, core, transferable and employability skills into the heart of students’ learning experience
Martin, Milne-Home, Barrett, Spalding, and Jones (2000), recognized the difficulties technical college educators have in preparing graduates for the technical skills needed in industry.
Graduates begin careers in specialized positions, this make the students’ finds it difficult to acquire skill in a way that meets all employers’ needs. Technical skills are job specific and best suited to be taught by industry professionals on the job. “Soft” skill development is needed by all technical college graduates (Mullen, 1997). Evers, Rush and Berdrow (1998) stated that Society, now more than ever, needs graduates who criticize in constructive ways and do not assume that things should be done only in a certain way because that is the ‘way it has always been done; rather craftsmen who want to work in organizations that strive to correct past mistakes, not contribute to new ones. The purpose and role of technical education has been widely debated for years. Morley (2001) stated that the debate is centered on whether technical education should exist for the sole purpose of providing capitalistic achievement or in-depth liberal education; this has been viewed differently by many nations.
In Nigeria, among the goal of technical education is to provide the technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for economic development; to give training and also to impart the necessary skills to individual who shall be self reliant economically. The curriculum of technical colleges according to Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) (2004) includes welding and fabrication engineering craft practice among other mechanical trade courses. Welding and Fabrication Engineering Craft Practice (WFECP) according to Tobolt (1991) is an occupational process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. The goal of welding and fabrication engineering craft practice work trade in Nigeria technical colleges is to produce competent craftsmen with sound practical and theoretical knowledge, who should be able to carry out various types of welding processes and fabrication design (National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) 1985). Thus, the programme for welding and fabrication engineering craft practice work in Nigeria technical colleges is designed to produce competent craftsmen for all types of metal work operations. According to NBTE (2001), these craftsmen may also wish to take the opportunity for further technical education programme.
Welding and fabrication engineering craft practice at the technical colleges are offered at two levels, leading to the award of National Technical Certificate (NTC) and Advance National
Technical Certificate (ANTC) for craftsmen and master craftsmen respectively (Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), 2000). The curriculum is prepared in modules at both of these two levels. The trainees on completion of the programme for welding and fabrication engineering craft practice work like any other vocational courses in the technical colleges according to FRN (2004) shall have three options: secure employment either at the end of the whole course or after completing one or more modules of employable skills; set up their own business and become selfemployed and be able to employ other; and pursue further education in advance in craft/technical institutions such as polytechnics of colleges or education (technical) and universities. Thus justifying the objective of the programme.
Heldrich (2005) posit that, the purpose of technical education is to train students for specific careers or to prepare students for the general skills needed for the workforce. Espinoza (1999) proposed that the purpose of technical education should be to disseminate productive citizens into the workforce. Peddle (2000) agreed that educators were responsible for preparing students for general skills, while Atkins (1999) suggested that education is not the end-all and that the focus should be on making students lifelong learners. While there are differing views on the intent of technical education, one emergent theme appears to surface; to an extent degree, technical education should prepare students for future employment (Cole & Thompson, 2002).
Employers depend on educators to provide job-ready and training-ready entry-level employees from craftsmen turned out from the institutions (Carnevale, 2001).
A craftsman is an artisan who practices a handicraft or trade (Dunne, 2005). Rawlins (2000) stated that craftsman often undervalue the need to possess transferable skills. Instead, they deem that mastery of disciplinary content is more important than transferable skills to employers. Some artisan learns their skill through apprenticeship training and such lack the necessary theoretical background that will enable them come with solution to challenges. This group is considered unqualified craftsmen even though they may be employed as one. Employers desire craftsman who can think on their feet and determine ways to accomplish tasks. Schmidt (1999) stated that graduates entering the workplace must solve complex, multidisciplinary problems, work successfully in teams, exhibit effective oral and written communication skills, and practice good interpersonal skills. Billing (2003) stated that the work skill needs most desired by employers were those that are transferable to a variety of situations; specifically the skills on “problem solving, communication, self management, and critical thinking. Robinson (2000) stated that these transferable, work skills are considered very basic and generic in nature and should assist every person entering the workforce.
Communication skills as described by Commonwealth of Australia (2006) as those skills that contributes to productive and harmonious relations between employees, employers and customers. Communication skills are the most prevalent of all the employability skills. This is because speaking, listening, reading and/or writing are central to all work practices and there are very few examples of units of competency which do not contain at least some aspects of communication. Effective communication is essential for the delivery of high quality, safe working environment. Communication failures are an extremely common cause of inadvertent problem in working environment. The complexity of Industrial activities, coupled with the inherent limitations of human performance, make it critically important that welding and fabrication technicians have standardised communication tools, create an environment in which individuals can speak up and express concerns, and share common “critical language” to alert team members to unsafe situations.
Self-management skills are those skills that contribute to employee satisfaction and growth. Self-managementrefers to an individual’s ability to manage himself in relation to the outcomes expected of their work role (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006). This skill comprises the ability to learn new things, ability to work with others no matter their sex, age and race and ability to manage one’s time. Worker self-management is a form of workplace decision-making in which the workers themselves agree on choices (for issues like customer care, general production methods, scheduling, division of labour etc.) instead of an owner or traditional supervisor telling workers what to do, how to do it and where to do it. Workers self management is often the decision making model used in cooperative economic arrangements, such as workers cooperative, workers’ council, participatory economics, and similar arrangements where the work place operate without a boss. However, as seen in real-world examples, only large-scale decisions are made by all employees during council meetings and small decisions are made by those implementing them while coordinating with the rest and following more general agreements.
Problem solving skills is one of the higher order thinking skills demanded by industries.
They are skills that contribute to the employees’, employers’ and the industries’ growth and competitiveness in the global world. The Commonwealth of Australia (2006) stated that graduates should be able to prioritize, and solve problems individually or in groups, make decision on the basis of a thorough assessment of the short- and long-term effects of decisions and the ability to conceptualize the future of the company and provide innovative paths for the company to follow.
While categorising the skills Billing describe Problem solving skills as the ability of the crafts men to find a way in dealing successfully with difficulty as they arise in the course of work.
Critical thinking is the intellectual process of analysing, evaluating and synthesising observations or assertions. Also Critical thinking could be describe as the ability to not just describe something or accept perceived wisdom, but develop a conceptual understanding of what happens and transfer that to different situations. Maxwell (2001) posits that, Critical thinking can be described in engineering as a means to give problem-solving wings. It means not just accepting what you are told but a willingness to question it, to think it through for yourself by reflecting on the content. Soft skills are not usually considered in the design of technical colleges’ curriculum, the curriculum merely spells out the technical activities involved in the successful operation and carrying out the finish product safely. Though as important as the core skill is, the soft skills carry the craftsmen through a successful relationship with colleagues and customers.
The National Skills Task Force and associated research studies (2005) make the distinction between skills shortage vacancies (those due to applicants’ lacking required skills, work experience or qualifications) and internal skills gaps (inadequate proficiency levels within a company’s workforce). These in turn show as hard to fill vacancies which may be taken as evidence of a mismatch in skills supply and demand and are perceived by employers as closely related to levels of formal qualifications. Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) (2005) reported a general lack of applicants and dissatisfaction with existing skills levels. Fifty-four percent of metal work employers points to a lack of applicants with the right skills, although often with suitable experience and qualifications – a more substantial lack of applicants than in other industries. NECA noted that applicants for skilled craft jobs lack technical, practical and customer service skills, implying that businesses are making do with inadequately skilled labour. The Employer Skills Survey (2002) reports that over three quarters of companies have difficulties in meeting customer service standards as a result of recruitment problems. Successful teaching and learning require the application of the best pedagogy and practice and an appreciation of the work skills needs of craftsmen as perceived by related industries to the trade. This will enable the graduate to be employable because their skills will match those demanded by the industry.
Statement of the Problem
Today’s workplace demands high performance employees in technical fields one of which is fabrication and welding related industries, but many applicants do not even possess the skills necessary for entry level positions due to a skills gap occurring in society (Shivpuri and Kim, 2004). This skills gap is noticeable with most trades offered in technical colleges, among which is fabrication and welding craft practice. The craftsmen are not equipped with the desired skills needed to be successful in the industry (Aina 2000). Employers believe technical education is failing by not adequately developing the work skill needs of craftsmen (Evers, 1998). In essence, craftsmen need to be more creative and social in the workplace (Brown, 2003). Brown concluded that employers often state that fabrication and welding craftsmen are not being properly prepared for industry jobs.
The continual production of welding and fabrication graduates in technical colleges and its consequential continuous unemployment of the product (technical college graduate) is a major source of worry to all stakeholders. Specifically, Okoro (2001) observed that there are large number of unemployed technical college graduates either roaming the street or engage in Okada riding business thus, abandoning their basic trades of graduation. The underlying factor of these unemployment problems is described as the unemployable nature of these craftsmen (Ogwo, 2004).
Consequently, there is need to determine the work skill needs of fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries, so that students would be adequately equipped with such work skills. Technical education programme is a very expensive one; such education for students who acquired skills that are unable to help them obtain employment in the world of work or effectively go into self-employment is wasteful and should be discontinued (Okoro, 1999). The problem of this study therefore is that the needed work skills by the industry are not known by both the technical college educators and their students
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to determine the work skill needs of fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries in Kaduna state. Specifically the study is designed to determine the:
- Problem solving skill required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries.
- Communication skill required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries.
- Self management skill required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries.
- Critical thinking skill required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries.
Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will be of immersed benefit in such a way that it will assist the students, graduates and employers of labour to become aware of the employability skills required to gain and retain employment. If the determined skills are included in the technical colleges’ curriculum; It will help the students when they graduate to meet the demands of the industry and be successful in the world of work. It is expected that the findings will help in the training of competent craftsmen who can face the challenges of the world of work occasioned by technological advancement. The problem solving skill to be identified will avail the student opportunity to benefit immensely from this study as they will become aware of the current development and skill needs required in the modern workplace when the findings of this study is published.
The communication skill required to be identified also will be of benefit to the working graduate craftsmen as it will avail them the opportunity to asses and evaluate themselves in the level of attainment of the required employability skills required of them in their various workplaces. These will motivate them to see the need for in-service training and education for the development of these skills in order to improve their productivity and also provide a platform for greater job satisfaction.
The study will be of immense benefit to the technical teachers in the technical colleges. The findings of work skill needs of fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries identified by this study would hopefully provide information to the technical teachers teaching fabrication and welding. The study will x-ray a wide range of skill needs of fabrication and welding by the industry. This will help the teachers to infuse those skills in their teaching especially as most of work skills are not subject oriented. But a veteran teacher can design a lesson to inculcate such skills.
The results of this research study will be beneficial to the Curriculum Planners and the Government. This will provide them with the needed information about the existing gap between the graduates expected non-technical competences and knowledge required for employment. Thereby providing a base for improvement in the curriculum of fabrication and welding craftsmen in the technical college and other higher educational institution in order to make them consistent and relevant with the industrial needs in the modern workplace. The Government will see the need to provide the needed resources for the acquisition of the needed non-technical and technical skills required for employment by graduates.
The society at large will finally stand to benefit from the findings of this study if the identified skills are then included in the technical college curriculum. The kind of human resources that will be enterprising and productive in the society will be produced. The socioeconomic life of the society will improve as graduates will be able to face the present and future challenges in the world of work. This would assist in reducing some social vices and other criminal activities, which results from graduate unemployment and idleness.
Research Questions
- What are the problem solving skills required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries?
- What are the communication skills required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries?
- What are the self management skills required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries?
- What are the critical thinking skills required by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses which will be tested at 0.05 levels of significance are formulated to guide this study:
| H01: | There is no significant difference in the mean responses of industrial supervisor and craftsmen on the problems solving skill required of fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries. |
| H02: | There is no significant difference in the mean responses of industrial supervisor and craftsmen on the communication skill of fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries. |
| H03: | There is no significant difference in the mean responses of industrial supervisor |
and craftsmen on self management skill needed by welding and fabrication craftsmen.
H04: There is no significance difference in the mean responses of qualified and less qualified industrial worker on the critical thinking skill needed by fabrication and welding craftsmen as perceived by related industries.
Delimitation of the Study
Work skills needed by industries include both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills specific and peculiar to a trade, e.g. welding and fabrication. While soft skills are those skills that enable technical skills utilized in solving everyday problem as such arise in ones chosen occupation. This study concentrated on the soft work skills which include problem solving, communication, self management and critical thinking skills. The study did not cover technical skills needed by welding and fabrication craftsmen as perceived by the industry.
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