MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON HUMAN CAPITAL GROWTH IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Mechanical technology education as a branch of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is geared towards equipping youths for work. It is a suitable methods of curbing the socio-economic challenges currently faced by the nation with respect to dwindling revenue, social unrest and increase in unemployment rate.  The study examined the impact of mechanical technology education on manpower development in Rivers State.  Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The sample of 20 industries was drawn from 70 manufacturing companies in Rivers State, using purposive sampling technique. While a total number of 78, 337 workers were sampled in all the 20 selected industries for the study. A self-developed checklist titled “Mechanical Technology Education Manpower Development Checklist (MTEMDC)” with a cronbach-alpha reliability coefficient of 0.78 was used for data gathering. Descriptive statistic of percentages as well as inferential statistics of Pearson product moment correlation was used for the data analysis. The findings revealed a very low percentage of mechanical technology education graduates employed by the industries in Rivers State, and significant contribution of Mechanical Technology education to manpower development in Rivers. It is therefore concluded among others that both State and the nation’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges should be up and doing in exposing the Mechanical Technology students and or trainees to new ideas and technologies so as to be relevant in the world of work and integrate more quickly into the global economy, as businesses restructure their supply chain and operations to gain from regional comparative advantages