The Relationship between Staff Training, Career Development, and Job Satisfaction for Public Universities in Mozambique

Abstract

This study discusses the impact of staff training programs and career development policies on the employees’ ‘motivation and job satisfaction’ in the Public Universities of Mozambique. Institutions of higher learning are perpetually confronted by a need to train staff and develop careers of the same in the workplace. The Mozambican higher education subsector faces an unprecedented number of demands for educated labor. To support the government’s economic, social, and political policies under New Public Management principles, universities must embark upon prudent utilization of their scarce resources. The aim of this study is (a) to evaluate the impact of training programs and career development policies, (b) strategies on staff motivation and job satisfaction, and (c) investigate the relationship between staff training, career development, and job satisfaction variables. The methodology adopted includes a triangulation of the case study and survey research strategies. The research uses mixed methods approach. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and survey questionnaires. For analysis, data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique as well as descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that there is a direct impact on staff training programs by career development policies and strategies on improving staff motivation and job satisfaction in the public universities in Mozambique. Findings reveal that staff motivation and job satisfaction remain a challenge in the higher education subsector in Mozambique. The academic staff members and university managers in particular are chiefly not satisfied with the inadequacy of professional skills due to ineffective training programs. Other findings attribute staff dissatisfaction and low motivation. To achieve the competitive advantage and obtain the best results, higher learning organizations must provide the means to upgrade their employees, which they can best do by organizing continuing training and development programs, as well as ensuring regular staff promotion at the workplace. Keywords: staff training, career development, motivation, public universities, higher education institutions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55463/hkjss.issn.1021-3619.60.46