GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT The study determined the underwater fabrication training skills need of youths for employment in the marine sector in South-South Nigeria. Two each of specific purposes, research questions and null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population for the study comprised 282 fabrication instructors and underwater fabrication technicians. A sample size of 216 respondents: 72 fabrication instructors and 144 underwater fabrication technicians were selected for the study through simple random sampling technique. The researcher-developed instrument captioned, “Underwater Fabrication Training Skills Need for Employment in the Marine Sector Questionnaire” (UFTSNEMSQ) to generate data for the study. Three lecturers in the Faculty of Education, University of Uyo validated the instrument. The reliability of the instruments was done using respondents in the study area who were not part of the main study. Cronbach’s Alpha reliability technique was used in determining the reliability of the instrument. The reliability coefficient of the instrument for fabrication instructors was 0.84 and 0.86 from underwater fabrication technicians. Mean and independent t-test statistics were used to analyze the data obtained. The findings from the study reveal that there are significant difference between the responses of fabrication/welding in technical colleges and underwater fabrication technicians in the marine sector on underwater cutting skills; hence, the youths need training on underwater cutting skills for employment in the marine sector. There is no significant difference with regards to structural fabrication skills; hence, the youths need little or no training on structural fabrication skills for employment in the marine sector. It is recommended among others that private entrepreneurs should establish training institutions in South-South Nigeria to include those experiences in the marine sector. KEYWORDS: Underwater Fabrication, Training Skills, South-South Nigerian Youths, Employment Generation