Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the training needs of
academic staff of Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The general objective of this study
is to determine the training needs of academic staff of Bolgatanga Polytechnic.
In furtherance of the general objective, the study sought specifically to
examine training policies are adopted by Bolgatanga Polytechnic for its
academic staff, identify training needs of academic staff for current and future
job assignments, explore methods employed by management of Bolgatanga
Polytechnic in conducting training needs assessments of the academic staff,
examine the challenges of training needs assessment, and make
recommendations to improve training needs assessment.
The study used census survey to solicit the views of academic staff of
Bolgatanga Polytechnic. Structured questionnaires were administered to all the
106 academic staff of Bolgatanga Polytechnic concerning issues of staff
training and development policy and training needs assessment. The study
used Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 16.0 to analyse
the date.
The study revealed that there is a staff development policy for the
polytechnic. There are existing conditions under which academic staffs of the
Polytechnic are given training. Training needs assessment was not carried out
before training. It was recommended that the existing staff development policy
should be modified to make room for training needs assessment and then,
management of the Polytechnic should task Departments’ Heads or Deans to
identify and document specific training and development needs of academic
staff
