Factors Affecting Students Interest in Welding and Fabrication in Technical Colleges in Nasarawa State

This study identified factors affecting students' interest in welding and fabrication as a vocational subject in technical colleges in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Welding and fabrication are high-demand trades in construction, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries, yet enrolment in these programmes at Nasarawa technical colleges is declining. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, targeting 240 students enrolled in or who had recently dropped welding and fabrication courses across four technical colleges. A 45-item interest determinant questionnaire was developed, validated, and administered. Results indicated that health and safety concerns, specifically fears about eye damage and skin burns, were the top factor discouraging enrolment. Perceptions of the trade as physically laborious, low-paying, and socially undesirable also contributed. Conversely, exposure to successful welders and knowledge of industry earnings positively influenced interest. The study recommends that technical colleges organize safety demonstration sessions and provide students with adequate personal protective equipment, develop career information pamphlets profiling high-earning welders and fabricators, and engage the Nasarawa State Investment and Development Agency to host school-industry forums. These practical recommendations address both the perception and institutional barriers to enrolment in this strategically important trade. Keywords: student interest, welding and fabrication, technical colleges, Nasarawa State, vocational education.