UTILIZATION OF AUTOMATION TOOLS - BASED SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT FOR ACHIEVING TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN TVET TRAINING INSTITUTIONS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study determined respondents’ perception on utilization of automation tools - based Supply Chain Management for achieving technical skill development in TVET training institutions. The study which was conducted in TVET training institutions in Rivers State, adopted descriptive research design. The total population was 152 subjects consisting of 36 technical college teachers, 42 technicians and 74 final students in the four (4) Rivers State owned technical colleges. The entire population was censused and used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Utilization of Automation Tools - Based Supply Chain Management for Achieving Technical Skill Development Questionnaire (UATSCMATSDQ)”. The instrument was validated by 3 experts from the department of Industrial Technology Education, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. Comments and observations made by them were adequately utilized making the instrument appropriate for the study. Pearson Alpha was used to determine the reliability coefficient of the instrument which yielded 0.71. The instrument consisted of 21-items answerable on a four-point scale rating of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD) with numerical value of 4,3,2,1 respectively assigned. 152 copies of the instrument were administered on the respondents and all the 152 copies were retrieved after completion by the researcher and four (4) Research Assistants. Data collected was analyzed using mean statistics. Result showed among others that utilization of PLC-based SMC enhances technical skill development. Provision of PLC-based SMC in TVET institutions among others was recommended.