Generic and Technical Skills Needed by Motor Vehicle Mechanics in Maintenance and Repairs of Modern Automotives in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract The study investigated the generic and technical skills needed by motor vehicle mechanic in maintenance and repairs of modern automotives in Niger state, Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in all the registered automobile mechanic workshops in three senatorial zones of Niger State. A proportionate stratified random sampling techniques was used to draw 10% of the total population for the study. Therefore, sampled population for the study was 720 respondents comprising of 210 highly experienced, 480 moderately experienced Motor vehicle mechanics, 17 Motor vehicle mechanic maintenance teachers and 13 automobile lecturers respectively but 715 respondents returned the questionnaire. A structured questionnaire title Motor Vehicle Mechanic, Generic and Technical Skills Maintenance and Repairs Questionnaires (MVMGTSMRQ) developed by researchers and validated by three experts was used for the data collection for the study. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was determined to be 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha Statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the questions while z-test statistics was used to test the two null hypotheses formulated for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings among others revealed that generic skills such as perfect commitment to duties, habit of punctuality at work, moral integrity on the job, readiness skills at work, loyalty to duty mention but a few are needed by the Motor vehicle mechanics with grand mean of 3.33 with standard deviation of 0.70.The finding on the technical skill needed revealed that ability to detect worn disc plate, Competence in recognizing a defective Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light, skills in identify different types of clutch, Ability to service different types of clutch among others are technical skills needed by the by the Motor vehicle mechanics with grand mean of 3.21 and standard Deviation 0.72. It was recommended amongst other that the Organizing retraining courses to update and equip automobile mechanics with the requisite generic skills for effective maintenance of modern vehicles. Government should establish a modern motor vehicle mechanic workshop that would train competent craftsmen on mechanical technical skills required in maintaining and repairing of automobile.

Keywords: Motor Vehicle, Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Skills, Generic Skills, Technical Skills and Maintenance.