Abstract

Tinibu B. K.1, O. N. J. Orji2, Olokpobri H. K.3, Ojorfor N. Prince 4* and A. A. Jaoji4

Students’ prospects for career pursuits in engineering and technical and vocational education (TVE) were being hampered by their poor performances in Technical and Engineering Drawing (T.E.D.) as a core engineering subject. This study investigated the career aspirations of students in engineering and technical and vocational education due to their good performance in T.E.D. and their contributions to society. Using the structured questionnaire to collect data from students and teachers of three technical colleges in Adamawa State, the study found that students’ career aspirations due to their good performance in T.E.D. include electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, and technical and vocational education (TVE). Students’ likely contributions to society from their career choices in engineering and TVE, due to their good performance in T.E.D. include town planning, engineering contracting, land use development and entrepreneurship development. Testing at a 0.05 level of significance, the study also established that significant differences did not exist between the mean scores of students and teachers on the career aspirations of students and the students’ likely contributions to society from their career choices in engineering and TVE. Factors that militated against the performance of the students in T.E.D. towards an effective career choice in engineering and TVE are poor background of students, truancy, and language of instruction of the teacher, among others. However, no significant difference existed between the mean scores of students and teachers on the factors militating against the performance of students in T.E.D. which affect the students’ career choices in engineering and TVE. The study has recommended among others, the training and retraining of T.E.D. teachers, equipping of drawing studios and the provision of a stand-by power plant to guarantee stable power supply.