Title: Work-Based Training in Smart Manufacturing and Its Influence on Engineering Graduates' Employability in the industry 4.0 Era in Lagos State-Nigeria.
Authors: ABDULSALAM, Abdulmajeed Bidemi; Ekwueme-Duru Uchechukwu; GANGBE, Mautin Oluwaseun
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
Pages: 19-25
Publication Date: 2025/10/28
Abstract:
- This study examined work-based training in smart manufacturing and how it influences the employability of engineering graduates in the industry 4.0 era in Lagos State, Nigeria. The research was guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses. A correlational survey design was used to collect information from three main groups: engineering graduates, engineering educators or training coordinators (lecturers), and industry supervisors or employers. The total population of the study was 6,550 participants, made up of 4,200 engineering graduates, 1,500 lecturers from higher institutions (including the University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, and Yaba College of Technology), and 850 industry supervisors or employers in Lagos State. From this population, a total of 1,080 respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique, which involved two key steps: stratified sampling and simple random sampling. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire, which was carefully designed to obtain accurate and relevant information. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by three experts, one from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, another from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, both at the University of Lagos, and a third expert from the School of Technical Education, Yaba College of Technology. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was calculated as 0.84, indicating a high level of consistency. The analysis was carried out using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) to answer the research questions and test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The analysis was performed with the aid of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, confirming that the research instrument had strong reliability. The major findings of the study showed that engineering graduates who participated in structured and technology-driven work-based training developed better technical, digital, and problem-solving skills, which are highly valued in smart manufacturing industries. The results further revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between work-based training in smart manufacturing and engineering graduates' employability in the industry 4.0 era in Lagos State. Based on these findings, the study recommended that higher education institutions in Lagos State should form stronger partnerships with smart manufacturing industries.