<b>Modelling the Integration of Core Competencies among Students of Technical Colleges through Work-Based Learning in North-Western States, Nigeria</b>

The significance of core competencies has been recognized in many industries, and as a result, many firms consider these skills when hiring and evaluating employees. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how academic alignment and employer engagement relationships affected the core competencies integration among students at technical colleges. The study adopted the survey research design. In light of the diverse and complicated community from which the survey was drawn, the stratified technique of random selection was employed to sample 273 technical instructors from a population size of 342 in the sample area. The academic alignment and employer engagement questionnaire (AAEEQ) was the tool utilized to gather information from the respondents. The questionnaire was evaluated by three Technical and Vocational specialists. For the reliability of the instrument, the data were analyzed using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient with the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 25. The computed values for the constructs of the study were: Academic Alignment (Career Awareness Activities (CAA) .953, Career Exploration Activities (CEA) .926, Career Preparation Activities (CPA) .967), Employer Engagement (EET) .895, and Core Competencies Integration (CCM) .911. The same tool was employed for the exploratory factor analysis to put the items into the required dimensions. Confirmatory factor analysis, a crucial part of structural equation modelling (SEM) was carried out by the use of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) version 23 to address the research questions and their corresponding hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. To address the model identification issues that researchers face in the handling of each distinct measurement model throughout the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) process, the pooled-CFA approach was used for this analysis through analysis of moment of structures (AMOS) to create the chi-square values, modification indices, and standardized estimates. Specifically, the study used a second-order confirmatory factor analysis. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis technique was employed through AMOS to determine the model’s fundamental relationship. The results of the study showed that work-based learning (WBL) academic alignment and employer engagement all significantly improved students’ core competencies at technical colleges. Based on the study’s outcomes: i) The government should create a supportive environment that encourages appropriate work-based learning activities to enhance the integration of core competencies; ii) To effectively develop core competencies, technical educators should employ the WBL identified elements in the implementation of the WBL programme at technical colleges.