Bridging Smart Industries’ Skills Gap Through Work-based Training of Mechanical Engineering Technology Students in Lagos State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64321/jcr.v3i4.13Keywords:
: Skill, Skill Gap, Work-Based Training, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Smart IndustriesAbstract
The study determined to bridge smart industries’ skills gap through work-based training of mechanical engineering technology students in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study examines smart industries skills required to bridge the skill gap of mechanical engineering technology (MET) students and to find out strategies for bridging the skill gap of mechanical engineering technology (MET) students in smart industries in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study comprised of 490 respondents, out of which 119 were purposively selected and participated in the study. The data collection instrument was developed based on a rating scale with options including Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree, and comprised twenty-two (22) items. The validity of the instrument was assessed by three (3) experts, and it was distributed to the selected participants by the researcher with assistance from three (3) research aides. The completed instruments were collected after a period of two (2) weeks from the time of administration. Additionally, the reliability was assessed using the Cronbach alpha method, resulting in a coefficient of .78. The gathered data was analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The finding showed that that automation and control systems skills received the highest mean rating followed by knowledge of IoT integration, machine learning and AI, additive manufacturing, and interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasizing their importance in smart industries. The National University Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) should prioritize courses and training in these skill areas as identified in the Table 2 above.
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