Relationships between utilisation of human resources and academic performance in engineering in Technical and Vocational Institutions in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to analyse the relationships between the utilisation of human resources and academic performance in engineering at technical and vocational institutions in Nakuru County, Kenya. The problem that the study addressed was the high failure rate of students in engineering. The study used a descriptive survey design utilising closed-ended questionnaires and interview schedules. The sample consisted of 331 students, 11 technicians, and 22 Administrators (11 Heads of Departments, 7 Deputy Principals, and 4 Principals). A proportionate sampling technique was used to obtain student samples per institution. Participants were selected through simple random sampling. The hypothesis was tested and established that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between utilisation of human resources and academic performance in engineering (p=0.000<p=0.05), concluding that ineffective utilisation of human resources in the TVET institutions contributes to the observed low performance in engineering programs. The study recommended that institutions implement a trainer monitoring system, prioritise data-driven assessment of teaching methods, provide ongoing professional development, and establish formative assessments with clear metrics to enhance training quality and student performance in engineering.