AE-FUNAI HOLDS SIWES ORIENTATION PROGRAMME FOR PROSPECTIVE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING STUDENTS

Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, recently held a Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) orientation programme for the 300 level students of the institution who are meant to embark on a 6-month industrial attachment at the end of the first semester of the current academic calendar, at the main auditorium.

Rep. of the VC, DVC (Administration), Prof. Philip Omoke making his opening remarks at the event

Welcoming the participants to the event, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Philip Omoke, noted that students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a veritable tool in the technological acquisition process, adding that the exposure is vital to both the students and the university as an institution of learning and research.

Prof. Nwajiuba also stated that the university has been making sustainable effort to improve on SIWES activities and programmes, explaining that every year, staff of the Directorate of SIWES are given opportunities to attend Industrial Training Fund (ITF) organized workshops and training. This, according to him was to acquaint them with the relevant skills necessary for the management of the scheme.

He advised the students to be good ambassadors of the university in their place of assignment, enjoining them also to listen attentively to all presentations being made by the officials, and equally used the medium to appreciate them for the payment of students’ allowances for the 2018 SIWES year. He further encouraged the agency to keep the good work going, promising that the institution and her management will continue to work with all commitment to see that no supervisor was owed at any point of time.

Presenting his address at the event, the Director-General /Chief Executive officer of Industrial Training Fund, Sir Joseph Ari who was represented by Mrs Chioma Egbobe, said the Industrial Training Fund is the apex Manpower Training and Development Organization of the Federal Government charged with the responsibility of “providing, promoting and encouraging the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce, so as to generate a pool of indigenous trained man power sufficient to meet the needs of public and private sectors of Nigerian economy’’.

Rep. of DG/CEO, ITF, Mrs. Chioma Egbobe addressing the participants

She also noted that as part of its responsibilities, the agency, offers a vast array of Human Resource Development Services which include Research and development, consultancy services, monitoring and Evaluation, Standardization and certification of training and management of SIWES on behalf of the Federal Government. She further said the scheme was started in 1974 as a result of growing concerns among industrialists, that graduates of higher institutions lacked adequate practical background studies preparatory for employment in industries. Adding, that SIWES was established to facilitate the full realization of mandatory skill acquisition and proper training of programmes designed to expose students, pointing out that students are expected to develop occupational competence that would facilitate their fitting into the world of work after graduation. She ended by encouraging students to put in their best, work hard and behave themselves as ambassadors of the University and ITF.

The thrusts of the training were on the role of institution and students in SIWES activities and the role of ITF in the implementation of Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).