1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Like any other vorganization, civil service system is set up to accomplish some definite goals. But unlike many other organizations that pursue monolithic goal which may be social economic, or political civil service system pursue divergent goals which ranges from social to political and it has often been said that an organization’s most valuable resources are us employees. For any organization to live to achieve its goal, training and human resources development program has to be organized. This is one of the reasons the Federal Military Government of Nigeria through its own institute. Its main objective is to promote and encourage acquisition of skills with a view to generating a pool of indigenous trained manpower, sufficient to meet the needs of the economy.
Training in the Nigeria Civil Service has been given considerable attention by the government immediately after independence most organizations were planning without data and so organizational plans were done on assumptions. Nowadays training in secretarial programme as well as information technology has become imperative.
A vast majority of secretaries in civil service are yet to be computer literate and thus lack the secretaries and other information technological skills necessary for the achievement of an increased productivity. Proper and adequate training should be given to secretaries on how to operate modern equipment vis- of vis adoption of good human relation approach.
Thus, for secretaries to perform their functions efficiently there must be, well designed training and development programmes arranged in the organizations to enhance productivity. This organizational training may range from seminar , on the job training, off — the- job training schemes owned at exposing secretaries to the new techniques adopted in modern offices.
Training as one of the management tool (Warren, 1986) is used to develop the full effectiveness of an essential organizational resource. It is the fastest segment of personnel activities. It is a course of diet and exercise for developing physical strength, endurance or dexterity. Many organizations have come to the full realization that training is a crucial method of developing the employee towards enhancing productivity. Some companies go as far as running training schools of their own, they arrange occasionally two to three days adhoc seminars or workshops mounted for staff enrichment which they in two pay the trainers the primary purpose of all training and employee development is to add to or renew the abilities of an organizations work force (Gilbert and Robert 1985) in another instance, Luke, Cheryl and Stigler (1992) believed that the essence of training and employee development is on performance and productivity, both in skill, knowledge, attitude and minimization of wastage and scraps. With the technological age, office automation and academic advancement organizations have realized the importance of training of their staff.
The civil service system in Imo State is not left out. This training has in turn brought in new knowledge in office skills and automation which the traditional skills over worked in the mud. In the civil service system the secretary plays a very vital role in the realization of the office goal, but it is disheartening that they are more a less considered to be trained with the new trends- the changer role of office equipment. Most of the development programmes are only available to the administrative cadres leaving the secretaries to carry out only perfunctory duties. Like other cadre of staff, secretaries need to be constantly exposed to training programmes need to cope with the technological modern offices.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The constant problem of inadequate supply of qualitative and quantitative personnel in the system is a bane that has been with the nation since the inception of the civil service due to low remuneration associated with the system and levels of its clients who are drawn from the lower income status. These factors now made the system a last resort for unemployed youth while others use is as a springboard for better jobs.
To this effect it is a call for civil service to integrate and incorporate training and retraining of their personnel especially the secretary to meet up with the problem of present challenges of knowledge explosion and technological advancement facing the nation. Training as essential instrument for enhanced productivity are hardly organized for workers in the system and the secretaries who are the live wire of the civil service system face the same fate.
Thus in order to fit in well into the main stream of global scheme of things, Imo State Civil Service should realize the of training and development programme on secretary’s productivity to help move the civil service forward.
Secretaries in the system are treated as non- entities whose future ends behind the typewriters. Their opinions are not at all sorted in decision making. They are treated as copy typist not realizing that they have potentials that need to be explored.
The problem of the study is to explore the type of training scheme available to secretaries in the civil service system, the extent to which secretaries are exposed to these development programmes, the effects of these programmes on the secretary’s productivity and how the management perceive the secretary’s role in the realization of the goal of the civil service system.
1.3 Purpose of The Study
The purpose of the study is aimed at finding out the impact of training and development programmes on secretary productivity. The study will specifically seek to:
- Determine the inadequate supply of qualitative and quantitative personnel in the civil service system.
- To find out the service integrate and incorporate training and retraining of the personnel especially the secretary productivity in civil service.
- Determine the extent to which secretary are expose to development programme in civil service.
- To determine whether the secretary is perceived as important instrument towards the realization of the goals of the civil service system.
1.4 Significance Of The Study
The significance of the study is to find out the impact of the programmes on secretary productivity. A study of this nature would encourage management to extend their policy on training personnel to secretaries. This would consequently increase job satisfaction, morale and harmony and hence secretary’s productivity system.
This study is to find the important of secretary stakeholder:
- To ensure compliance of the provisions of companies law and rules made there under and other statutes and bye-laws of the company.
- To ensure that business of the company is conducted in accordance with its object as contained in its memorandum of association.
- To ensure that affairs of the company are managed in accordance with its objects contained in the article of association and the provision of the companies law.
- To arrange with and to call and hold meeting of the board and to prepare a correct record of proceedings.
1.5 Scope Of The Study
The research in the impact of training and development programme on the secretary’s productivity is focused essentially on establishing the type of training scheme available to secretaries in the civil service system and now development programmes affects their level of productivity. The activity performs in training and development programmes on secretary productivity are:
- Secretary and administrative assistant education
- Secretary and administrative assistant training
- Work experience in a related occupation
- Licenses, certifications, and registrations
1.6 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What are the inadequate supplies of qualitative and quantitative personnel in the civil service system?
- What are the importance instruments toward the realization of the goals of the civil service system?
- What extent in which the secretary’s are exposed to development programme in civil service system?
- How does a secretary perform their function efficiently in civil service?
- What is the fate of secretaries if they are handicapped in office automate?
