The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charges students of the university to take the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) seriously for them to be self-reliant and self-sufficient.

He gave the charge during the SIWES orientation workshop held recently at the university auditorium.

The Acting Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Head of Ndele Campus and Dean, Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, Professor Isaac Ogundu, said the workshop would provide solutions to most of the likely problems that they would encounter in society.

He emphasized that SIWES is a vital tool for combating poverty, unemployment and other economic challenges, and advised them to pay rapt attention and ask relevant questions to be guided.

The Acting Director, SIWES Dr. Silverline Igweagbara, in her address, expressed gratitude to the Acting Vice Chancellor for his support towards the programme and to staff who assisted in making the programme a success.

She thanked students who found time to participate, noting that “though the economy is hitting everyone hard, those with SIWES knowledge would none-the-less survive the hardships because they are equipped with the right training”.

Dr. Igweagbara expressed optimism that the students would make the university proud as they enter the workforce. She also expressed hope that they would use the requisite skills acquired and not bother about the ups and downs of the labour market, especially as the two certificates (theory and practical) acquired would expose them to both the white collar job and the practical skills to survive on their own.

She, however, warned that there are penalties for every mistake resulting from ignorance of the important aspects of their programme.

In his remarks, the Area Manager and Assistant Director of Training, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Rumuokwuta Area Office, Mr. Cabral Angereke, noted that the 2024 SIWES orientation marks a significant milestone in the process of equipping students with the desired knowledge and practical experience through their participation in Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

He disclosed that the exercise is necessary as it affords students the opportunity of getting detailed information on the standard of behaviour and performance standards that is expected of them before, during and after the period of their SIWES attachment.

Mr. Angereke informed that “SIWES is a skill training programme designed to expose and prepare students to fit in properly in industrial work situations after graduation”.

He further stated that the scheme “provides students with the opportunity to expose and familiarise themselves with the gained experience in handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in their institutions”.

While thanking the Acting Vice Chancellor and his Management team for their support in carrying out the Federal Government mandate in SIWES, he urged the students to listen and ask constructive questions that clarifications can be given to equip them properly for the experience and in order to minimise mistakes during the attachment period.

The orientation, according to Angereke, “will x-ray the roles of various stakeholders in the SIWES programme, and the use of various forms and documentations before, during and after the SIWES attachment”.

Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Training and Head of Training, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Rumuokwuta Area Office, Mrs. Gloria Henry Ekwuruke, informed that the scheme was established because of the growing concerns amongst industrialists that graduates of Nigeria Tertiary Institutions of Higher Learning lacked adequate employable skills in industries.

She noted that employers were of the opinion that the theoretical education going on in Higher Institutions do not match the skills needed by the employers of labour, this therefore, necessitated the initiation of the Industrial Training Fund, a scheme introduced and designed to equip students with necessary skills of handling employers’ machinery and equipment as well as gaining the needed practical skills in the course of learning.

Mrs. Ekwuruke stressed the need for students to take the programme seriously, explaining that as a former student of IAUE, the experiences that she gained from “School to Land” where she did her SIWES attachment as an Agricultural Science student helped her to secure an A grade in her examination because she wrote from the practical experiences that she gathered from the programme.

She also stressed the need for students to be safety conscious and to apply safety rules and measures while carrying out their duties during the period.

On her part, the SIWES and Principal Accountant of ITF, Mrs. Adejare Opeyemi, admonished the students to be “good ambassadors, leave good legacy, and not mess up the place with your bad attitude and deprive others behind you of the opportunity”.

She told the students that though the stipend that is given to them is small, the knowledge and experience that they stand to gain from the scheme cannot be quantified in monetary value.

Mr. London Ajoku, SIWES Schedule and Principal Training Officer, also enlightened the students on how to fill their log books, general administration and documentations during the six months exercise where they are expected to apply theoretical concepts to real world problems and to develop essential skills in communication, team work, time management, network building and problem solving to prepare them for their future career.

The SIWES is a programme designed for Nigerian students in Tertiary Institutions to gain practical experiences in their chosen field of study.

The scheme provides students with hands-on experience and bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It enhances their employability skills after graduation and foster collaboration between academia and industry.

Sogbeba Dokubo