Constraints Militating Against the Implementation of Production/Service Work In Technical Colleges in North Central Nigeria

Skill acquisition is a critical component of any vocational technical training program. When this component is missing or falls below expectation, it tends to defeat the objectives of the program. In Nigeria, many skill-oriented schools experience great challenges in trying to provide for the necessary facilities required for effective technical training of those enrolled in its program because of paucity of funds. The result often times, is that students are likely to graduate from the programs without adequate employability skills for meaningful productive/service work after leaving school. In realization of this predicament, the Federal Government of Nigeria directed all technological institutions to establish what is called Production/Service Work (PSW) into its curriculum. This is done in the event that there is shortfall in the supply of training facilities to school workshops by proprietors, schools can receive jobs from within or outside the school which would provide them the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience that would equip them with requisite skills for post- graduation work. As laudable as this innovation appears to be many schools in the North Central Nigeria are yet to implement the innovation in their schools and even where they have, they are not viable and do not seem to meet the objectives set out for them. The present study, therefore, sought to unravel the challenges (external and internal) constraining the effective implementation of PSW in technical colleges. When this is done, it might provide a framework for deliberate action towards ameliorating the challenges that are faced by the schools. Keywords: External constraints, internal constraints, trade, production/service work, skill