Assessment Of The Challenges Of Staff Training And Development In Tertiary Institutions

Project and Seminar Material for Human Resource Management (HRM)

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the challenges of staff training and development in tertiary institutions using Akwa Ibom state polytechnic Ikot Osurua as case study. The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled participants in the study. A total of 50 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from the staff of Akwa Ibom state polytechnic Ikot Osurua in Akwaibom State. Data was analyzed using frequency and tables which provided answer to the research questions. Findings from the study disclosed that substantial resources have been committed in staff resource training but investment in training yield fruitless result. Hence, it becomes imperative to devise a formidable strategy to bring the challenges of human resource training to a halt. Te study therefore recommends that government should intensify effort in funding human resource training, reinforcement of stiffer policies for combating corruption, provision of adequate training motivation, introduction of attractive reward system, objective assessment of training needs and training designs and curbing the menace of brain drain.

Chapter One

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Training is considered as the process of upgrading knowledge, develop skills, bringing about attitude and behavioural changes and improving the ability of the trainee to perform tasks effectively and efficiently. Also training is a systematic approach to less ring and development to improve individual team, and organizational effectiveness. Alternatively, development refers to activities keeping to the acquisition of view knowledge or skills for our posses of personal growth. This development includes the process by which managers and executive acquires not only skills and competencies in their present schedules, also capacities future managerial tasks of increasing difficultly and scope in terms of handling workforce and responding to the state of the art in their day-to-day activities. Also, development towards future needs rather than present needs and immediate performance. Therefore training and development in a business organization could be defined as the ability of a business organization to develop skills and knowledge of their workers to enable them carry out the present and future job of the organization (Coles, 2000).

Effective training techniques can produce significant business results especially in customer service, product development and capability in obtaining new skill set. This linkage of training to business strategy has given many business the needed competitive edge in today’s global market. Effective training and development t improves the culture of quality in business, workforce is considered to be essential to the maintenance of a business firm’s competitive advantage in a economy.

Despite the relevance of training and development organizations are faced with quite a number of problems associated with training and development for instance, some training problems emerge as a result of failure of management to accept responsibility for under-taking training programme. Also, organizations are faced with the problem of lack of adequate knowledge and skills by managers in directing and executing training. The consequence of this situation is that employees productivity becomes low and this in turn affects the general performance of the organization. In order for organizations to be productive, investment in training and development is critical as it has a direct effect on the activities of the organization.

These are however some possible solutions to the problems. In order for organizations to be strategically positioned to be business environment or be efficient in providing quality output to the society, there is need for both the existing and new employees to be trained regularly, policies regarding training and development of employees should be set and implemented to foster the development of employees in the organization, there should be clear and reliable linkage between training effectiveness and the fulfillment of strategic organization objectives. The issue of training and development of employees should be taken seriously (Coles, 2000).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Most tertiary institutions and organizations do not give consideration to training and development. They believe people are bound to learn from others and as such do not consider training and development as important tool in the organization. The consequence of this situation is low productivity and output level of the organization. Many organization have not given training and development the attention it deserves, incompetency is another consequence of not taking training and development seriously.

In the face of competition, if staffs of an organization are not well trained, they will not be able to perform the duties expected of them. In addition many organizations do not conduct training needs analysis to determine who needs to be trained and what needs to be learned, the effect of this, is that even though training is conducted, there is no positive impact.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The study intends to achieve the following objectives:

To examine the significance of staff training and development in tertiary institutions.
To present and highlight ways of conducting effective and efficient staff training and development.
To identify the problems of staff training and development.
To examine the possible solutions to the problems of staff training and development.

1.4 Research Question

The following research questions were formulated to guide this research study.

What are the significance of staff training and development in tertiary institutions?
What are the ways of conducting effective and efficient staff training and development?
What are the problems of staff training and development?
What are the possible solutions to the problems of staff training and development?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Every organization needs well trained employees to boost productivity, staff training and development is a major means through which these goals of organization can be obtained. The significance of the study is that it will bring to light the relevant of staff training and development in organizations; it will help organizations understand the prerequisite for training and development by providing concise information on training and development. Make known the way conducting effective staff training and development in business organizations, problems of staff training and development and overcome the problems. The research study serve as a useful reference material to other scholars seeking for information on the subject.

1.6 Scope/Limitation of the Study

This study covers Assessment of the challenges of staff training and development in tertiary institutions, a case study of Akwa Ibom state polytechnic Ikot Osurua. How to conduct effective and efficient staff in the course of carrying out the research, some challenges were encountered by the researcher that stood ad limitations to the study and they include, limited time given for the completion of the study. Inadequate information due to high cost of transportation and financial constraints.

1.7 Significance of the Study

Every organization needs well trained employees to boost productivity, it is believed that this research work will be beneficial to both the trainees and trainers as it will enable them to identify their problems and know ways of overcoming them.

Staff training and development is a major means through which these goals of the organization can be obtained.

The Significance of the study is that it will bring to light the relevant off staff training and development, it will help organization understand the pre-requisite for training and development by providing concise information on training and development. It will also help to reveal the ways of conducting effective staff training and development. In addition, the research study serves as a useful reference material to other scholars seeking for information on the subject.

1.8 Scope and Limitation

This research work covers the problems and solutions of staff training and development of champion breweries in Akwa Ibom State. Also included in the scope are:

Four variables as listed in the research question.
Use of questionnaire as the instrument for data collection.
Use of descriptive statistics.
Fifty respondents.
The use of survey design in conducting the research.

In course of carry some challenges were encountered by the researcher that stood as limitation to the study and they include:

Financial Factor:

Inadequate funds affected researcher had to travel long distances for the distribution of the research questionnaire forms.

Time Factor:

This affected the reduction in the size of the sample used for the study because the researcher had only less than two months to complete the study.

Material Factor:

Shortage of relevant material for literature review posed.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Training:

This is the process of impacting specific skills and abilities for particular requirements of the organization.

Development:

This refers to any learning activity which is directed towards future needs rather than present needs and which is concerned performance.

Manpower:

This involves the process of collecting and analyzing of data pertaining to the number and kind of employees using require skills that an organization needs at the right time and at the right place to perform job that are the beneficial to the objectives of the of organization.

Planning:

Setting objectives and deciding on the best ways of achieving objectives.

Business:

A company or other organization that buys and sells goods, makes products, or render services.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary

This study was carried out to assess the challenges of staff training and development in tertiary institutions using Akwa Ibom state polytechnic Ikot Osurua as case study. The study was aimed at examining the significance of staff training and development in tertiary institutions. it presented and highlight ways of conducting effective and efficient staff training and development. it identified the problems of staff training and development. It examined the possible solutions to the problems of staff training and development.The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled participants in the study. A total of 50 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from the staff of Akwa Ibom state polytechnic Ikot Osurua in Akwaibom State. Data was analyzed using frequency and tables which provided answer to the research questions.

5.2 Conclusion

The human resource training is considered as one of the good techniques for improving personnel skills and retaining competent human capital that will improve organizations efficiency and effectiveness. The efficient and effective services delivery of tertiary education institutions is greatly determined by the quality and quantity of competent personnel it attract maintained and retained over time. Nigeria tertiary education institutions has committed a substantial proportion of resources in human capital training in an attempt to improve the dexterities of its personnel over the years, but frequently been threatened by myriads of problems. This study employed literature sourced materials and internet resources to examine human resource training, challenges and prospects that affect returns on investment in human resource training in tertiary education institutions in Nigeria. Specifically, this study discusses the role of human resources training, its challenges such as misappropriation of priorities, low training motivation, none-alignment of institutions and employees training needs, brain drain, poor funding among others. To overcome human resource training challenges and to improve the competency of employees and quality services delivery of tertiary education institutions in Nigeria, provision of adequate funding of tertiary education institutions, combating corruption, proper identification of trainees and institutions training needs, introduction of robust reward system to overcome brain drain to attract and retain existing personnel are recommended.

5.3 Recommendation

From the findings of the study,it becomes imperative to devise a formidable strategy to bring the challenges of human resource training to a halt. This study suggested that government should intensify effort in funding human resource training, reinforcement of stiffer policies for combating corruption, provision of adequate training motivation, introduction of attractive reward system, objective assessment of training needs and training designs and curbing the menace of brain drain. This study is optimistic that if the devised recommended strategies are implemented by government and tertiary education administrators, the challenges besieging human resource training will be surmounted and training investment will yield positive return that will improve the quality performance of employees and increase the institutions plight of efficient, effective service delivery of tertiary institutions in order to contribute to political, social and economic development of the nation at large.

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