Perceptions of Undergraduate Construction Students on Industrial Training in Ghana

Abstract

Ghanaian universities’ curricula, which have provisions for industrial training (IT), have not made the expected impact on graduates to meet the expectations of the construction industry. This paper assesses the perceptions of undergraduate construction students on IT in Ghana, its challenges and possible measures to overcome them. The study employed a structured questionnaire survey of 185 final year construction students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Data analysis was based on mean scores of factors evaluated and the t-test was used to assess the significance of the differences between students’ performance before and after undertaking IT. Students are of the perception that IT exposes them to real work environment and increases their job prospects among others. Students’ satisfaction level with their performance on personal attitude, communication and work attitude significantly improved after undergoing IT. Students are, however, not satisfied with their departments’ involvement in IT, particularly, with regards to placement and monitoring. Stressful placement processes and financial strain on students are some of the challenges identified.