Abstract:
There is no training that can prepare individuals for employment for the rest of their
lives. Additional and continuous training in needed to make acquired skills more
adaptable to the changing work environment. In an effort to bridge theory and
practice, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions have
incorporated a work-based learning (Industrial attachment program) where students
get attached to firms and industries. The expected outcomes include acquisition of
conceptual and dispositional occupational knowledge that has a practical orientation
and a wide application of generic skills that are vital in the modern workplace. The
implementation of this program is however faced with limited attachment places,
delayed placement, and low collaborative and linkage programs between training
institutions and the industry. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of
supervised industrial attachment programme (IAP) within TVET institutions in the
North Rift Region, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the influence
of IAP on students’ problem solving skills, to examine the effect of IAP on students’
work ethics and social skills, to assess the effect of IAP on students’ ability to exhibit
work ethics and culture, to determine the various forms of collaboration between
TVET institutions and industry/employers and finally to establish the ratings by
students and trainers on the challenges of supervised IAP. The study focused on
TVET institutions in the North Rift Region, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive
research design. Three TVET institutions were purposively sampled forming the
strata of the study. Stratified proportionate sampling was applied to select a sample of
208 students and 29 lecturers. 12 work-based supervisors and 3 Industrial liaison
officers were purposively sampled. The research instruments for data collection were;
the structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Qualitative data were
thematically analyzed and presented as narrations. Descriptive statistics were
analyzed through frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics employed paired
sample t-test. The findings show that 87.9% of students attended the IAP program out
of which 94.5% were assessed by lecturers. Further, 88% of the lecturers had not
received any industrial attachment exposure. IAP significantly contributed to
individual student’s problem-solving skills (t=-10.409, p=0.000) but did not
contribute to group problem solving skills (t= 0.849, p= .0137). IAP contributed
significantly to students’ ability to exhibit appropriate attitude and social skills in
responding to constructive criticism and working independently (t=-5.143, 0.00 and t=
5.340, p= 0.000) respectively. IAP significantly contributed to student’s ability to
practice appropriate work ethics and culture in exhibiting team work (t= -4.074, p=
0.000) but did not significantly contribute to their communication skills (t= 0.861, p=
0.390. The time it takes for students to find placement places is a significant challenge
(t= 2.537, p = 0.012). The study recommends that lecturers should have regular
exposure to the industry in order to update themselves with current trends in the
industry. TVET institutions should have a component of training in soft skills
entrenched in the curricula and be more strategic in linkage programs with the
industry. The study concludes IAP that timely assessment and timely assessment and
strong collaborative linkage programs between TVET institutions and the industry can
improve the efficiency of industrial attachment program. The study recommends that
training institutions need to place emphasis on the acquisition of work ethics and
culture including appropriate attitude and social skills that form a critical aspect of the
modern workplace requirement.