The Influence of Workload and Administrative Support on Job Satisfaction of Business Educators in Vocational Technology Education, Colleges of Education, Northeast Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of workload and administrative support on the job satisfaction of Business Educators in Vocational and Technology Education departments within Colleges of Education in Northeast Nigeria. The research was motivated by the critical role these educators play in training future teachers and fostering entrepreneurship, particularly in a post-conflict region facing significant educational challenges. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of Business Educators using a structured questionnaire titled the "Job Stress on Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (JSJSQ)." The instrument was validated by experts and demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.87. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) to answer the research questions and regression analysis to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that both workload and administrative support are significant determinants of job satisfaction. A high level of workload (Grand Mean = 3.52) was reported, with educators agreeing that excessive tasks, administrative duties, and physical exhaustion negatively impact their satisfaction. Similarly, a perceived lack of administrative support (Grand Mean = 3.47) in areas such as professional development, recognition, and involvement in decision-making was found to be a major source of dissatisfaction. Regression analysis confirmed that both factors significantly influence job satisfaction, with workload accounting for 43.3% of the variance (p = 0.000) and administrative support accounting for 37.3% (p = 0.000), leading to the rejection of both null hypotheses. The study concludes that the job satisfaction of Business Educators in Northeast Nigeria is substantially eroded by overwhelming job demands and inadequate administrative backing. To enhance job satisfaction, improve retention, and safeguard the quality of Business Education, it is recommended that college management implement policies for equitable workload distribution and strengthen administrative support systems through recognition, professional development opportunities, and participatory governance.