OFFICE TECHNOLOGY SKILLS EMPLOYABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE E-WORLD

OFFICE TECHNOLOGY SKILLS EMPLOYABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE E-WORLD

Abstract

The study examined the Impact of Office Technology Programme on Employability. Three hypotheses were formulated for the study. Ex-post facto research design was used for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 students out of the 100 students. The research instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “The Impact of Office Technology Programme on Employability Questionnaire” (TIOTPEQ). The validity of the instrument was ascertained by three experts in Test and Measurements. Data from 60 completed questionnaire forms were used for analysis. The research hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistics at 0.5 level of significance. Based on the findings it was concluded that Word Processing skills, Micro-soft Package operating skills, Web-page Design skills influence employability. Recommendations were made that schools should train their students on the new technological gadgets to enable their skills on word processing, micro-soft package and web-page design for employment purposes.

CHAPTER ONE

            INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

                 

Employability has been an issue that is increasingly gaining ground globally because of the high level of poverty among the graduates. Robinson (2000), described employability skill as the basic skills needed for one to get a job and enable him or her to carry out duties effectively.

According to Hamzah (2009), employability is a group of important skill instilled in each individual in order to produce productive work force. This is has to do with individual who have strong characteristics such as a high sense of self-innovation, productivity, skilful competitive determination and creativity in facing the challenges of the nation as well as the globe.

Every firm needs office workers to carry the day to day activities of the business so; there are many opportunities for office workers with technical skills. Office technology programme is a specialized course in which students are trained in proper keyboarding and machine transcription techniques, word processing skills (word, excel, access and web-page design) data entry, business letter, report writing, English grammar and spelling, telephone etiquette and filing and other office administrative duties, (Green, 2006).Generally, the office technology and management programme tend to develop levels of competence in the skills and knowledge needed by entry level office workers in modern businesses and organization. This programme helps student to be employable with the skills in word processing, micro-soft packages and web-page design. Graduates of the programme are prepared to pass civil service examination and various employment test required by businesses and industries. Akpama (2002), mentioned in his view that technology courses develop skill required by today’s employers including the use of software programmes producing correspondence, managing records and scheduling appointment. Employability not only depends on whether one is able to fulfil the requirements of specific jobs, but also on how one stands relative to others within an hierarchy of job seekers (AshForth 2004).

Office technology programme is primarily concerned with the acquisition and mastery of office related skills needed to perform in the business and technological organization. It therefore emphasizes the knowledge, skills, attitude and technicalities that learners will be expected to display on completion of their training, hence office technology programme is an educational programme for competent and efficient programme Wellford (2003). Office technology and management creates employment opportunities for youths as it offers reliable training as a student’s personal career that provides administrative support to any type of business or organization, from education and health care to government and trading, manufacturing and construction.

 

• Statement of the Problem

This research work centres on the Impact of Office Technology Programme on Employability. It is believed that skills and machine is needed to perform office work by office technologist. So when the machines are not available and the competent skills are not acquired, office work cannot be done effectively.

Most graduates of office technology programme have left the profession due to the fact that they cannot handle the programme successfully in the era of mechanization. Other graduates are not able to secure jobs as a result of inadequate computer skills; some of them already in the job are having series of problems because they lack skills in word processing, micro-soft packages and in web-page design. Some of them cannot operate the system successfully as far as the following packages are concern; micro-soft word, spreadsheets and other micro-soft packages that are taught in office technology and management.

 

• Purpose of the Study

The major purpose of the study is to examine the Impact of Office Technology Programme on Employability. Specifically, the study sought to:

1. determine how word processing skills in office technology influence employability.
2. examine how micro-soft package operating skill influence employability.
3. ascertain how skills in web-page design influence employability.

 

• Significance of the Study

This research finding will be useful to both government and private sectors, as it will highlight the numerous skills needed by a graduate for effective performance.

The study will also reveal to the office technologist the need to acquire skills in word processing, micro-soft package and web-page design as it is one of the requirements in employment process, which will enable them produce administrative work effectively.

Finally, the study will contribute to the available literature on office technology programme on employability.

• Research Questions

The following questions were formulated to guide the study.

1. How do word processing skills in office technology influence employability?
2. How do operating skills in micro-soft package influence employability?
3. How do skills in web-page design influence employability?

 

 

• Research Hypotheses

The following were the hypotheses formulated to guide the study.

Ho₁:        Word Processing Skills in Office Technology does not        significantly influence Employability.

 

Ho₂:         Micro-soft Packages operating Skills does not significantly influence Employability.

 

Ho₃:        Skills in Web-page Design does not significantly affect      Employability.

 

• Delimitation of the Study

This research study was delimited to the Impact of Office Technology Programme on Employability in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Ikot Osurua Ikot Ekpene, because the researcher envisaged that the successful completion of this study within the stipulated period will be hindered if the scope of the study was widened to include other polytechnics.

 

• Limitations of the Study

The following were the factors that limited the smooth progress of the study.

1. High cost of materials.
2. Difficulty in gathering materials especially relevant materials for literature review.
3. Delay by some of the respondent and unwillingness to respond to the questionnaires given to them.
4. Time factor was also a factor, because I had to combine this research work and other academic work.

OFFICE TECHNOLOGY SKILLS EMPLOYABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE E-WORLD

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