AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF METAL WORK TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Metalwork is one of the areas of engineering trades in science technical colleges in Nigeria. Metalwork technology is defined as the activity of making object or articles out of metal (Danjuma and Umar, 2019). It is generally called metalwork technology because it involves ways of making articles or product using different tools, equipment and machines (Beako, Okagwa and Wordu, 2019). Metalwork technology has many branches such as, fittings, machining, fabrication and welding, forging and foundry work (johnbul, 2016). Metalwork is among the 34 Trade/Entrepreneurship study subject compulsory for secondary school students to provide practical experience for students. The purpose of metalwork technology is to equip students with basic skills in technology that can make them acquainted with the materials, tools, equipment and machines of metalwork technology to produce articles of metals that will source income and means of self enterprise after graduating from school (FGN, 2014). Therefore, graduates of metalwork are expected to make use of hand tools as well as operate machine tools effectively for manufacturing articles or objects, also to carry out maintenance culture on machine and hand tools.