Farm Practical Training and Job Aspiration of Undergraduates of Agriculture in Universities in Kwara State, Nigeria
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Date
2017-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Agricultural Extension
Abstract
The study investigated whether farm practical training (FPT) is
significantly associated with job aspiration of undergraduate students
comparing results of empirical evidence between two Universities in
Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, students preferred courses of study
were identified, and their attitude towards FPT and job aspiration were
determined. One hundred and twenty final year students who recently
completed the FPT were selected from the two universities through
multistage sampling. The average age of students was 23.5 years with
standard deviation of 2.4. Less than half (40%) preferred agriculture as
course of study, while 38% preferred science and 5% medicine. About
32% decided to remain in agriculture after admission because it is
deemed prestigious, while 13% considered it last available opportunity
to gain admission and 17% due to its entrepreneurial potentials. Many
(69.8%) aspired for agriculture/farming related job, while 12% aspired
to work in agro-allied industries. Many (45.8%) had favorable attitude
towards the FPT, comprising 35.0% UNILORIN and 10.8% KWASU
students. However, more (23.3%) of KWASU students had unfavorable
attitude towards FPT compared to 5% UNILORIN students in this
category. There was no significant association between students’
attitude towards FPT and their job aspiration in both UNILORIN
(χ2=8.07, p=0.62) and KWASU (χ2=8.60 p=0.38). Although, most of the students aspired to work in agriculture/agro-allied industry, it was
however concluded, from the empirical findings, that FPT did not significantly influence their job aspiration.