IMPORTANCE AND ADVANTAGES OF SIWES

STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)

The Industrial Training/Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, IT/SIWES is a new Directorate under the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.  It was established on 20th April, 2012
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skills training programme designed to expose and prepare students of universities and other tertiary institutions for the Industrial Work situation they are likely to meet after graduation.  It is also a planned and structured programme based on stated and specific career objectives which are geared towards developing the occupational competencies of participants (Mafe, 2009).  Consequently, the SIWES programme is a compulsory graduation requirement for all Nigerian university students offering certain courses.
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), is the accepted training programme, which is part of the approved Minimum Academic Standard in the various degree programmes for all Nigerian Universities.  The scheme is aimed at bridging the existing gap between theory and practice of Sciences, Agriculture, Medical Sciences (including Nursing), Engineering and Technology, Management, and Information and Communication Technology and other professional educational programmes in the Nigerian tertiary institutions.  It is aimed at exposing students to machines and equipment, professional work methods and ways of safeguarding the work areas and workers in industries, offices, laboratories, hospitals and other organizations.
Prior to establishing the Scheme, industrialists and other employers of labour felt concerned that graduates of Nigeria Universities were deficient in practical background studies preparatory for employment in Industries and other organizations.  The employers thus concluded that the theoretical education being received in our higher institutions was not responsive to the needs of the employers of labour.  Consequently, the rationale for initiating and designing the scheme by the Industrial Training Funds ITF, in 1973.
The scheme is a tripartite  programme involving the students, the universities and the employers of labour.  It is funded by the Federal Government and jointly coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC).

1. To provide an avenue for students in the Nigerian universities to acquire industrial skills and experience during their course of study;
2. To prepare students for the work situation they are likely to meet after graduation;
3. To expose the students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery that may not be available in their universities;
4. To allow the transition phase from school to the world of working environment easier and facilitate students’ contact for later job placements;
5. To provide students with an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.

ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SIWES PROGRAMME AND THEIR ROLES

The Federal Government, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Supervising Agency, National Universities Commission, NUC, Employers of labour and Institutions have specific roles to play in the management of SIWES.  The roles are:
          1.       The Federal Government

1. To provide adequate funds to the ITF through the Federal Ministry of  Industry for the  scheme;
2. To make it mandatory for all ministries, companies and parastatals to offer places to students in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 47 of 1971 as amended in 1990;
3. . Formulate policies to guide the running of the scheme nationally.

          2.       The Industrial Training Fund (ITF).  This agency is to:

1. Formulate policies and guidelines on SIWES for distribution to all the SIWES participating bodies;
2. Provide logistic material needed to administer the scheme;
3. Organise orientation programmes for students prior to attachment;
4. Provide information on companies for attachment and assist in industrial placement of students;
5. Supervise students on Industrial attachment;
6. Accept and process Master and Placement lists from institutions and supervising agencies;
7. Vet and process students’ logbooks and ITF Form 8.

          3.       The Supervisory Agencies (NUC, NABTEB, etc)    
The NUC is to:

1. To ensure the establishment and accreditation of SIWES unit/Directorate in institutions under their jurisdiction;
2. To vet and approve Master and Placement lists of students from participating institution and forward same to ITF;
   Fund SIWES Directorate adequately in  participating institutions;
3. To direct for the appointment of full-time SIWES Coordinator/Director;
4. Review programmes qualified from SIWES regularly;
5. Participate in the Biennial SIWES conferences and seminars in conjunction with ITF.

Board of Study of IT/SIWES Directorate

1.   Professor Stanely N. Ngoa                                                                 Chairman
2.  Coordinators of the Faculties:

1. Mr. Samuel  Awolumate(Agricultural Sciences)                              Member
2. Mrs. SimbiatAdewuyiwa (Social Science)                                       Member
3. Mrs. IhuomaEfughi (Management Sciences)                                  Member
4. John Ejembi (Education)                                                                 Member
5. Adams Abiodun (Sciences)                                                             Member

3. Mr. Michael Kolawole Falolu (Bursar’s Reps.)                                      Member
4. Liason Officers In Lagos:

1. Ramoni Kolawole                                                                            Member
2. Linus Onime                                                                                    Member

5. Senior Staff in the Directorate of IT/ SIWES:

1. Joseph Tyokagher                                                                          Member
2. Moses Adegboyega                                                                        Member
3. Mbama Ukamaka (Mrs.)                                                                 Member
4. Iduma Patrick                                                                                  Member

6 Aliyu A. Hamza                                                                                      Secretary

Institution

The Institutions

          The institutions are to:

Establish SIWES Directorate with a separate account, adequately staffed and funded to ensure effective operation of the scheme.  The unit must meet the following minimum requirements:
          A.      MINIMUM PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

1. A full-time Head/Director of SIWES, rank should not be less than that of a Reader in a related discipline
2. An Administrative Office (to assist the Head)
3. At least 4 full-time Industrial Coordinators to operate the scheme at Institutional level
4. A Secretary/Typist/Data Entry Clerk
5. A Driver
6. A Clerk

          B.      MINIMUM MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Adequate office space and well furnished
2. A personal computer
3. A photocopying machine
4. A separate SIWES account
5. A functional car

          C.      The Institutions will also do the following:

1. Appoint SIWES Coordinator in Schools;
2. Prepare and submit Master and Placement lists to the respective coordinating agency and ITF
3. Place students on attachment with employers;
4. Organise orientation programmes for students to prepare them for industrial training;
5. Supervise students on attachment and sign their logbooks.  A minimum of three visits should be made to the
6. students by the institution’s supervisors during the period of attachment;
7. Work out industrial tailor-made programme with the employers-based supervisor on the National Training Guidelines for each course;
8. Submit completed ITF Form 8 to the ITF;
9. Submit comprehensive reports on the scheme to the ITF after the programme.

                THE EMPLOYERS/INDUSTRY

1. Accept students and assign them to relevant on-the-job training;
2. Provide tailor-made training programmes for the students;
3. Attach experienced staff to students for effective training and supervision on a ratio of 1:10 (staff : students);
4. Control and discipline students like permanent staff;
5. Provide medical care for students within the limit of employers conditions of service;
6. Permit representatives of ITF and Institutions’ based supervisors to visit the students on attachment and
7. Grade students in the assessment Form and the ITF Form.

                THE STUDENTS

1. To attend institution’s SIWES orientation programme before going on industrial attachment;
2. Comply with the employers rules and regulations;
3. Keep proper records of training activities and other assignments in the logbook;
4. Arrange their own accommodation during the period of attachment;
5. Submit Log Books, Reports and other documents related to SIWES as required by their institution at the end of the training period;
6. Submit to ITF through their institution, Evaluation Form (ITF Form 8) completed by the students the employer and the institution;
7. Avoid changing of place of attachment except in special circumstances and with the permission of your Centre Director and the SIWES Directorate.

                DURATION OF ATTACHMENT FOR SIWESS FUNDING
The minimum duration for SIWESS should normally be 24 weeks (6 months) at a stretch. The period is longer for engineering and technology programmes.  The ITF will not pay for any attachment period that is less than 24 weeks.
In most institutions, SIWES is done at the end of the 2nd semester examination of either 300, 400 or 500 level.  The time and duration will have to be worked out jointly by each school and the directorate and the ITF.


          8.       COMPULSORY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION

1. Master List
2. Placement List
3. Summary Sheet

          9.       ORIENTATION PROGRAMMES
All students accepted for SIWESS must be given an orientation on SIWES by their institutions during which ITF staff must be in attendance
          10.     SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
Students on attachment are to be supervised by the professional ITF staff and the institutions supervisors (comprising staff of Schools and the Directorate).
          11.     ALLOWANCES
The current students and Institutional supervisory allowances approved by the Federal Government are as follows:
Students -    N2,500.00 per student per month
Institution Supervisory     - N250.00 per student per month. Only students who participate in the programme for six months at a stretch are now eligible for payment. A few of the employers pay some salary and allowance to students during attachment.

WRITING OF IT/SIWES LOGBOOK REPORT
1.       INTRODUCTION
The report of the Industrial Training/Siwes is an essential part of the programme.  The programme is, therefore, not deemed to have been passed through by the student, by the School Board of Studies and the University of Senate until a satisfactory report has been written.  The guidelines for writing the reports are therefore set out  below and the student should write the report stressing what he/she did during his/her attachment.

2.       RECOMMENDED OUTLINE FOR WRITING REPORT
The plan of the report is the student’s own responsibility.  To streamline all reports, the following outline is to be followed by every students.
2.1     Title
2.2     Name of Student (Surname first)
2.2.1  Matriculation Number
2.2.2  Course and Year (e.g. Bus. Edu. 3)
2.3     Location & Firm of Training
2.4     Summary or Abstracts of report (about ¾ - 1 page) it should containing all the essentials inside the report)
2.5     Acknowledgement

2.5.1  Introduction
Here, the student should state what he/she is going to write about.  He should briefly outline the organisational structure for the company.

2.6     Main Body of the Report
This is the most important part of the report and the student must show own innovations.  The plan and order sequence should include mainly:
a.       The skills and practices the student required
b.       The operation and maintenance training received
c.       The specific work done must be given adequate coverage
d.       Any design, calculations, and analysis must be carefully, but briefly recorded.
e.       Supervision and any leadership role played in a given project or assignment (if any) must be briefly reported so as to leave no one in doubt as to student’s actual involvement.
f.        Sketches, diagrams, graphs and drawings (if any) must all have titles and designated as Fig. 1, 2 etc. and each must be referred to at least once in the report.
g.       Experimental test, together with the tables of results must also be given adequate coverage.  Each table should be given a title in a sequential order as:  Table 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc. with related titles, and must be referred to at least once in the text.

2.7     Conclusion
Here, the student should state again what he has achieved, contributed and learnt during this attachment.

2.8     Acknowledgements 
All those who have in any way helped the student to the success of his training may be noted in this section.

2.9     References
A list of references may be necessary. It should be listed in the order the references are referred to in the report and also listed alphabetically.

2.10   Appendices (if any)
Detailed description of working principles of most apparatus, equipment or devices may be reserved for the appendix section.  Only in exceptional cases when the apparatus is the main focus of training should detailed description form part of the main report.

                                                     

Contact

The Directorate of SIWES
National Open University of Nigeria
Plot 91, Cadastral Zone,Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Way,
Jabi-Abuja.
Email:siwes@noun.edu.ng

Type (Directorate or Unit)

Directorates

Directorate/Unit Name

IT & SIWES

Director/Head

Prof.

Email

siwes@noun.edu.ng