THE INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES) ON THE ACQUISITION OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS BY AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This paper focus on the influence of students industrial work experience scheme on the acquisition of employability skills by agriculture education in Edo State.The study employed descriptive research design.The population for the study comprised of eighty agriculture education students in University of Benin,Edo State.Random sampling technique were used in the selection of students,the sample size was made up of fifty(50) randomly selected students from University of Benin in Edo State.Validation was made by two experts in the department of vocational and technical education in University of Benin, Benin City,Edo State.In establishing the reliability of the questionnaire,test re-test was used.The instrument was first administered to twenty persons who were not part of the population of the study and it was repeated after two weeks to the same respondent, the scores were analysed using cronbach alpha formula method and a reliability coefficient of 0.52 was obtained.The questionnaire was administering by the researcher and was collected at the spot.The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation for research question.The finding revealed that student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) has high influence on agriculture education students on the acquisition of employability skills like problem solving, critical thinking, interpersonal and team work, and good communication skills.This work also recommend that awareness should be created to encourage students participate in SIWES programme and should be compulsory for all agriculture education student and adequate funds, equipment and trained personnel should be made available during the SIWES programme.