| dc.description.abstract | Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) are anchored in the Technical Vocational Education and Training ACT (2013), which emphasis on imparting vocational and technical skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the institutional factors influencing acquisition of vocational skills by trainees in public vocational training centres in Kakamega County. The objectives of the study were: to establish the influence of instructors’ capacity on acquisition of vocational skills, to establish the influence of financial resources on acquisition of vocational skills, to establish the influence of training facilities on acquisition of vocational skills and to establish the influence of instructional strategies on acquisition of vocational skills. The study was guided by contemporary theory of human capital which was postulated by Becker (2009). The study adopted a descriptive survey. The target population of the study was 1740,60 county polytechnic principals, 480 instructors and 1200 second year finalist trainee. A sample size of 282 was picked consisting of 18 county polytechnic principals, 144 instructors and 120 second year finalist trainees as the respondents. Stratified random, purposive and simple random sampling was employed. Questionnaires were used to collect data from county polytechnic principals, instructors and trainees. Piloting was done in related institutions and Cronbach alpha was used to calculate the co-efficient of correlation to ensure reliability of the research instruments. Data was analyzed using frequencies, percentages and chi-square. The study established that instructors were inadequate and the existing ones lacked in-service industrial attachment to update their skills& knowledge however the existing instructors were qualified and experienced. Financial resources were also inadequate to cater for training facilities and payment of more BOM instructors, tools & Equipment were inadequate and not up to date and this instructors to use teacher -centered methods of instructing. However, the respondents concurred that instructing strategies such as demonstration, fieldwork, work based, question and answer method as well as project work had a high influence on acquisition of vocational skills by trainees in public vocational training centers in Kakamega County. On basis of the findings, it was recommended that there is need to develop policies on relevant and up to date training facilities, Instructors’ capacity building in terms of in-service courses and industrial attachment in order to obtain technology transfer and practical skills exposure. More so vocational training centres to develop a policy on funding especially through income generating activities and lastly ministry of education to develop a policy on instructional strategies to encourage use of demonstration, project work - based study, field work question and answer method and group discussions strategies as opposed to lecture for maximum acquisition of vocational skills by trainees in VTCs | en_US |
