Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 7(6): 38-45, 2013 ISSN 1991-8178 Corresponding Author: Muhammad Sukri bin Saud, Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Darul Ta’azim, Malaysia E-mail: bbwuro@yahoo.com ; p-sukri@utm.my 38 Modeling the Determinants of ICTs Application in Internship in Technical and Vocational Education Muhammad Sukri bin Saud & Babawuro Shu’aibu Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Darul Ta’azim, Malaysia Abstract: Collaboration and information exchange are presently taking place through virtual environment using different tools, e.g. open source Web 2.0. For Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) students to get familiarity of the virtual collaboration; coupled with experiences in working environment, placements and other related industrial work experiences, the development of relevant ICTs and subsequent use for internship development are highly recommended. The purpose of this research is to model the significant determinants for ICTs integration in internship in TVE in higher institutions of learning in Nigeria. 140 respondents comprised of policy makers, administrators and lecturers drawn from five higher institutions of learning owned and controlled by Federal Government responded to a structured questionnaire. A hypothesized model was tested using Regression (SPSS) and SEM using (AMOS). The findings revealed 8 variables as very important significant determinants influencing the ICTs application in internship in TVE programmes. Based on the findings of the research, a conceptual model showing important areas in the order of priority was developed and recommended for adoption by authorities concern. Key words: ICTs, Internship, Technical and Vocational Education INTRODUCTION Internship has been in existence in different fields of studies for very long time in human history. Among 19 th century studies conducted was the study on “depression and suicidal thought of interns” (Valko & Clayton, 1975). Researchers in the 21 st century are also not left out as internship research has found application in quite number of areas and cut across disciplines of educational specializations; surgery (Tillou, Hiatt, Leonardi, Quach, & Hines, 2008), Nursing (Lee & Fitzgerald, 2008), marketing (Alpert, Heaney, & Kuhn, 2009), teacher education (Kuter & Koç, 2009), public relations (Emma L, 2011), accounting (James, 1986) and lot of others. “Internship is seen as a student’s closely monitored, paid or unpaid work experience at a corporation or non profit organization”(van ‘t Klooster, van Wijk, Go, & van Rekom, 2008). The experience in attending the programme influence students career choice after graduation (Chen & Shen, 2012). Organization’s familiarity is going to equip students with vital opportunity for dealing with ‘‘real world’’ issues which mostly faced by agencies and organizations. During internship period, a ‘student’ or ‘intern’ will become skilled at and be prepared on the type of career or job he/she might be willing to embark on after graduation and enables him make necessary plans pertaining subjects/courses relevant to his/her area of endeavour (Polat et al., 2010). Developments in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and its subsequent acceptance into education among other sectors of the economy, challenged higher institutions to take advantage of the simplicity this ubiquitous environment presented in teaching, learning as well as other components covered in the curriculum. Therefore, it has become imperative for programmes such as Technical and Vocational Education offered in higher institutions of learning in a country like Nigeria to readjust their curriculum through upgrading the traditional way of preparing, placement, supervision and scoring of students on internship (Industrial Training) period. Industrial Training (IT) in Nigerian context is an internship programme offered by curriculum specified period (minimum three month) tenable usually outside schools, in industries or other organizations recognized by the higher institutions to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to further prepare student for occupations after graduation. The programme was developed courtesy of the establishment of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1971 bestowed with the responsibility of administering Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) (Talabi, 2012). It is very clear that internship in Nigerian higher institutions are administered without much use of ICT facilities (Aduke, 2008); ICTs can only be employed at preparatory stage, when list of students that have certified requirement to proceed on internship is being prepared. While this practice persists in Nigerian higher institutions, ‘Virtual Internship’ (VI) dominates the current trend in training of manpower for industrial and other economic sectors around the world. Virtual Internship supports students interaction with companies and other relevant internship organizations, in which time, space and location are not determinants in carrying out specific work-based activities (Vriens, de Beeck, De Gruyter, & Van Petegem, 2010). Virtual internship provides