Emerging Maintenance Competencies Needs for Improved Automobile Enterprises by Motor Vehicle Mechanics in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the Emerging Maintenance Competencies Needed for
Improve Automobile Enterprises by Motor Vehicle Mechanics in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,
Nigeria. The study was guided with two purposes, two research questions, and two null
hypotheses. A descriptive research design was adopted. The population of the study
includes 140 master craftsmen (motor vehicle mechanics) and 14 automobile industrial
technicians were used for the study, making a total population of 154 respondents. A
simple random sampling technique was used. Data were collected using a structured
questionnaire titled Automobile Enterprises Emerging Maintenance Competencies
Questionnaire (AEEMCQ). The instrument was adapted by the researcher and validated by
three experts. The reliability coefficient of the instrument were 0.86 and 0.84 with
reliability index of 0.85, established using Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test. Data analysis
was conducted using SPSS Version 23, while mean and standard deviation were used to
answer the research questions and t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses at
0.05 significance level. Findings revealed among others that all identified emerging
maintenance competencies related to the fuel system were rated as highly needed with a
grand mean of 3.52. Similarly, all emerging maintenance competencies related to the
transmission system were also rated as highly needed by motor vehicle mechanics for
establishing automobile enterprises in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State with a grand mean of 3.52.
Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that National Automotive Design
and Development Council (NADDC), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour
and Productivity, integrate these competencies into training programs for motor mechanics.