Enhancing Technical Skills of Electrical Power and Machines Graduates for Optimal Performance in Nigerian Manufacturing Industries

Nasir Mukhtar, Musa Ali Jogana

Abstract


Industries serve as powerful catalysts for economic growth, driven by skilled engineering personnel. Despite their significant contribution to Nigeria's GDP over the years, these sectors face a challenge in revolutionizing production due to a shortage of trained manpower. Various studies have been conducted to enhance the skill acquisition of industrial workers; however, none have focused on integrating cutting-edge technical skills into the curriculum. Thus, this study aims to investigate the essential technical skills required for proficient performance in industries, specifically focusing on electrical power quality and motor torque control. Employing a descriptive research design, data was collected from 242 respondents. The research findings highlighted several novel technical skills deemed crucial for inclusion in the electrical engineering curriculum. These skills encompass the utilization of diverse instruments to monitor electrical power quality, techniques for installing fast protection devices to prevent faults in transmission and distribution systems, and methods for controlling the firing angle of silicon-controlled rectifiers to vary the voltage applied to an electric motor, among others. It's worth noting that this study adopts a purely quantitative approach, with face-to-face perceptions of respondents left unexplored. This limitation may pose a potential threat to the result's validity. Nevertheless, the study provides the Departments of electrical engineering with valuable new technical skills in electrical power quality and motor torque control, encouraging their integration into the curriculum. In doing so, this research sets a precedent for identifying and incorporating innovative technical skills across various aspects of electrical engineering to enhance industry performance.


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