IMPACT OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT GRADUATES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 

1.0    Background of the Study

Office technology and management is the art of acquiring the necessary skills needed to perform the duties of an office technologist/manager in any organization. The office technologist/manager profession or career is remarkable for its appeal to both men and women; it provides a challenging job after graduation and few other profession offers to graduates so wide a variety of occupational areas in which to work. Therefore, academic achievement of graduates of office technology and management are the grades and skills acquired at the end of tier academic pursuit in a particular institution. Example of these are Ordinary National Diploma (OND), Higher National Diploma (HND) with grades like Distinction, upper credit, Lower Credit e.t.c. and the skills are shorthand, typewriting, peoples communication skill, career development, information and communication technology with the introduction of M.S Word, Excel, Desktop publishing, Web page design, Entrepreneurship among others.
However, the term “career opportunity or opportunities” may be defined as activities faced or directed to goals beyond enjoyment of the activities itself. Career opportunities for office technologies/manager are employed virtually at every working setting,. The role of an office technologist are numerous and indispensable in any organization, all meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops which are attended by people from all walks of life cannot take off effectively without the secure of an office technologist. The technical improvement of the organization is also done by an office technologist. In fact, the importance of office technologist in the economy of any nation cannot be over-emphasized. The office technologist can be seen as the influence of an organization. Also, the duties of an office technologist is to read through any piece of work that is assigned to him/her and edit or correct for good hard copies presentations.
Office technologist also has to improve the management and arrangement of his/her boss office, before work and father the days work. An office technologist does not need to need to rush/hurry out of office after closing hours, but should rather wait to make sure that everything is in their right order, that is why the profession is termed to be a necessary in the job market. This project is carried out to know the impact of academic achievement on career opportunities for office technologist.  
1.1    Statement of the Problem
Most often, organization employ managers without taking into serious consideration, their academic achievements.   Also, it is believed that low productivity of some organization could be as a result of poor performances of it employees (Office Managers) which also can be from a poor academic performance. Furthermore, it is now a general trend that office technology and management graduates with higher academic achievement performs better in organization, then one with lesser achievements. However, this study focuses on the finding out beyond reasonable doubts, the facts about the aforementioned problems.        
1.2    Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this research work includes:
1.      To highlight the impact of academic achievements on career advancement prospect.
2.      To examine the impact of academic achievement on training opportunities.  
3.      To survey the impact of academic achievement on job mobility.  
4.      To analyze the impact of academic achievement on earning power.  
1.3    Significance of the Study  
This study will no doubt be considering the importance to the office technology and management graduates, organizations, future researchers and the general public. The aim of this study therefore lies on the fact that many people do not know much about the profession and fail to realize that the role of an office technologist is supreme and indispensable. The study is now carried out in order to acquaint the public on the qualification, duties, opportunities and the qualities of an office technologist and to also look at how essential is it for an office technology and management graduates to be employed.  
1.4    Research Questions
1.      What is the impact of academic achievement on career advancement prospect?
2.      What is the impact of academic achievement on training opportunities?
3.      What is the impact of academic achievement on job mobility?
4.      What is the impact of academic achievement on earning power?           
1.5    Scope of the Study
The study will cover only graduates of office technology and management studies that are working in Osun State.  
1.6    Limitation of the Study
This research faced many difficulties during the collection of information and data that was used. The greatest limitations encountered in the course of this research work are lack of material, adequate time and finance. The time constraint and delay in distribution and collection of questionnaire caused problem to the researcher.