Challenges facing induction training programmes for student on industrial attachment in Kenya

Abstract

The industrilal attachment links classroom practical with the on-the-job training which provides the student with the opportunity to have an insight into the practical application of the skills and safety consciousness in industry. The attachment programme targets students who have attained intermediate levels in some field of training. The role of induction training for these students has often been neglected and the rapid development! in new technologies together with the industrial restructuring, of ,recent years have highlighted this study. Challenges facing the training programmes have not been addressed well in relation to identifying strategies to overcome them. Furthermore, induction training policy for an industry has not been included in a range of policies dealing with student industrial attachments. The objective of the study was therefore to determine the challenges facing the induction training programmes for student on industrial attachment in Kenya. The sample groups of 150 students on attachment and 25 workplace supervisors were randomly selected from their respective sampling frames of which self-administered and researcher-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Interview schedules for key informants in industry were also used to get some data. Quantitative data analysis for the study revealed that some challenges were facing induction training programmes for students on the attachment in Kenya. The five stated challenges were: Student trainees do not have free access to machines and equipment to work with; Student trainees spend a lot of money traveling from their places of residence to workplace; Industries are suspicious of students on the attachment programme; Students spend a lot of time in finding placement for the industrial attachment; and Supervision from workplace and training institution supervisors is not effective. The results of the study showed that among these challenges, four were found to be statistically significant These were: the lack of free access to machines and equipment; the amounts of money spent on traveling to and from the workplace, the time spent on finding placement and the effectiveness of supervision by workplace and training institution supervisors: The industry being suspicious of students on the attachment was not found as a challenge. Ps-values of the statistical tests for the five stated challenges were also computed. There was agreement (no significant difference) between the two sample groups when the P - value on the stated challenges was greater than significance level of 0.05 .• Specifically, the two sample groups did not agree with the challenge that industries are suspicious of students on the industrial attachment programme (p-value = 0.01 and T-test = -3.69). The interviews further revealed that induction training progranunes for the students were faced. with some challenges which included: lack of finances to carry out well planned induction training for the students, lack of comprehensive job description for each of these students, and accidents, spoiled work and damage to industry machines & equipment. Furthermore, there were some challenges which industries encounter for embracing induction training for the students which included: possible expenses in case of accidents to students while being inducted, low production level during the time of induction training, and poor performance, breakage, scrap and wastage of materials during the induction training. From the findings, the study concluded that there should be more assistance needed (e.g. reimbursements) for industries to support the induction training programmes for the students. The study did recommend the need for the government to assist in addressing challenges facing induction training programmes in industries in order to support the student attachment programme. Keywords Attachment, Sample, induction, training, challenge and industry