Industrial Training Unit (Vice-Chancellor’s Office)
INTRODUCTION
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skills training programme designed to expose and prepare students of Universities for the Industrial Work situation they are likely to meet after graduation. The Scheme also affords students the opportunity of familiarizing and exposing themselves to the needed experience in handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in their institutions.
In Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, the following 24 departments are presently involved in SIWES:
- Agricultural Economics and Extension
- Animal Science
- Crop Science
- Soil Science
- Theatre and Media Arts
- Educational Management
- Vocational and Technical Education
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Materials and Production Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Architecture
- Building
- Fine Arts
- Geography
- Library and Information Science
- Biochemistry
- Botany
- Chemistry/Industrial Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Industrial Mathematics/Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Physics
- Zoology
COMMENCEMENT OF PROGRAMME
- Industrial training programme commences in second semester of every session, except for Faculty of Agriculture that commences their industrial training by first semester of every session because their training runs for the whole session.
- At the end of first semester examinations, students are expected to buy their log-book from Industrial Training Office, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, after paying a fee of one thousand five hundred naira (N1,500.00) only. They will be given a copy of the log-book and some forms which include one copy of Form 8, one copy of Form SPE 1, one cover page and two copies of Form SP1. Students are expected to submit their bank account number and bank sort code.
- After buying the log-book, the student will go out to look for suitable companies, industries or government parastatals where they can go for industrial training. Students are expected to photocopy form SP1 and submit to various firms, and when the student is eventually accepted, he/she will now submit the original of form SP1 to the employer and return the 2nd copy of form SP1 to Industrial Training Unit, A.A.U., Ekpoma duly signed by the Head of the company or organization.
- Two months into the training, the student is expected to submit Form SPE 1 to Industrial Training Fund office in the State where the student did the industrial training, signed and stamped by the company they are attached to.
- Daily activities will be recorded by the student on the log-book which will be signed by the supervisor at the end of every working week.
- At the end of six months, the student is expected to go back to Industrial Training Fund office in the State where the student did the industrial training to sign his/her log-book.
- Part A of Form 8 will be completed by the student, part B will be filled, signed and stamped by the Employer, while part C will be filled, signed and stamped along with the log-book by the Industrial Training Unit, A.A.U., Ekpoma at the end of the industrial training programme.
MISSION/VISION
The Mission/Vision of the Industrial Unit is in consonance with that of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma to which it is a subsystem. It is:
Mission: To be a centre for excellence in teaching and research and in the total advancement of the individual person and in tune with the socio-cultural environment and technological realities of a dynamic world.
Vision: To foster the growth of knowledge for the advancement of society.
Flowing from the above, the mission/vision of the Industrial Training Unit is to expose and prepare undergraduates of Ambrose Alli University for the world of work. The Programme will also enable them to acquaint themselves with the latest skills in science and technology including efficient handling of equipment and machinery that are usually not available while pursuing their programmes in the University.
OBJECTIVES OF SIWES
Specifically, the objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are to:
- Provide an avenue for students in institutions of Higher Learning to acquire industrial skills and experience in their course of study, which are restricted to Engineering and Technology including Environmental Studies, Sciences and other courses that may be approved.
- Prepare students for the industrial work situation they are to meet after graduation.
- Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery that may not be available in their Institutions.
- Make the transition from school to the world of work easier and enhance students contacts for later job placement.
- Provide students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice; and
- Enlist and strengthen Employers involvement in the entire educational process and prepare students for employment in Industry and Commerce.
APPRAISAL OF THE ACTIVITIES
The organization of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) involves many stakeholders. These include: the Federal Government, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Supervising Agencies – National Universities Commission (NUC) and Institutions. They all have specific roles assigned to them in the management of SIWES.
- Federal Government
- To provide adequate funds to the Industrial Training Fund through the Federal Ministry of Industry for the Scheme.
- To make it mandatory for all Ministries, Companies and Parastatal to offer places for the attachment of students in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 47 of 1971 as amended in 1990.
- The Industrial Training Fund (ITF): This organ performs the following functions:
- Formulate Policies and Guidelines on SIWES for distribution to all the SIWES participating bodies, institutions and companies involved in the Scheme;
- Regularly organize orientation programmes for students prior to their attachment;
- Receive and process Master and Placement Lists from the Institution and Supervising Agencies, e.g. (NUC);
- Supervise students on industrial attachment;
- Distribute supervisory and students allowances;
- Organize Bienniel SIWES National Conference and SIWES Review Meeting;
- Provide insurance cover for students on attachment;
- Provide logistics and materials necessary for effective administration of the Scheme, such document as Form 8, Form SPE 1, cover page and Form SP1 (these documents are available at the ITF Office, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma);
- Ensure the visitation (tours) of ITF officers to the Supervising Agencies, Institutions, Employers and Students on attachment;
- Provide information on Companies for attachment and assist in the Industrial Placement of Students;
- Continuously review and carry out research into the operation of the Scheme;
- Vet and process students logbooks and ITF Form 8.
- The Supervising Agencies: These Agencies are to:
- Ensure the establishment and accreditation of SIWES Units in Institutions under their jurisdiction;
- Direct the appointment of full-time SIWES Co-ordinators;
- Ensure adequate funding of the SIWES units in all Institutions;
- Vet and approve Master and Placement Lists of students from participating Institutions and forward same to the ITF;
- Develop, monitor and review job-specifications in collaboration with the Institutions towards the maintenance of National Minimum Academic Standard for all programmes approved for SIWES;
- Liaise with ITF and participate in the Biennial SIWES National Conference and relevant SIWES seminars, conference and workshops;
- Continuously monitor and review the job specifications of all the courses;
- Research into development of SIWES in line with advances in technological development;
- Regularly review courses qualified for SIWES in collaboration with other bodies;
- Liaise with the ITF to ensure the implementation of all Federal Government policies on the Scheme.
- The Institutions: Institutions are to:
- Establish SIWES co-ordinating Units with a separate account, adequately staffed and funded to ensure effective operation of the Scheme. The Unit must meet the following minimum requirement:
- Minimum Personnel Requirement
- A full-time head of SIWES Unit, rank should not be less than that of a Senior Lecturer in the related discipline;
- An Administrative Officer (to assist the Head of SIWES);
- A Secretary/Secretarial Assistant/Data Entry Clerk;
- A Messenger.
- Minimum Material Requirement
- Adequate office space
- A personal computer
- Photocopying machine
- Separate SIWES Account
- A functional vehicle
- Appoint SIWES Director/coordinators and supporting staff;
- Prepare and submit eight (8) copies of Master Lists and a CD not later than 31st May of each SIWES year to the ITF. Submissions are made through the Supervising Agencies;
- Apply job-specifications as prepared for all the accredited courses and award appropriate credit units in accordance with Federal Government minimum academic standard guidelines;
- Identify placement opportunities for Students attachment with employers;
- Supervise students at their places of attachment and sign their log-books;
- Organize orientation courses in collaboration with the ITF for their students;
- Submit comprehensive reports on the Scheme to ITF through their Supervising Agencies on ITF Form 8A at the end of every year’s programme;
- Ensure payment of outstanding allowance and render all returns to the ITF during the SIWES year;
- Submit all completed ITF Form 8 to the nearest ITF Area Office.
STRATEGIC PLANS
The long-range strategic plans of the Industrial Training Unit include the following:
- Continue to liaise and widen the existing relationship between the Unit/University and the external environment (industries) with a view to creating a strong synergy between them.
- Track at source relevant data on students proceeding on industrial training so as to facilitate the development of a virile data base for the university.
- Provide a competent knowledgeable and adaptive staff that will be capable of handling with tact and precision emerging challenges which the management of human and material resources present.
- Develop and sustain the right attitude and mindset among supervisors so that they will continue to offer their best in ensuring that Industrial Training students benefit maximally from the programme.
- Acquaint and update intending Industrial Training students on behavioural patterns expected of them while on industrial training assignment.
- Create a conducive environment/relationship between the University/Unit and regulators such as the National University Commission (NUC) and Industrial Training Fund.
OPERATIONAL PLANS
The operational plans of the Unit are as follows:
- All staff of the Unit are expected to attend at least one refreshers course/workshop organised by ITF each year.
- Orientation Programmes should be held for students proceeding on industrial training 31st March or 1st week in April each year.
- Master placement lists should be submitted to National Universities Commission (NUC) latest May 31 yearly to enable them treat same for ITF before payments can be made to students and institutions.
- Each student at the point of setting out for the industrial training is expected to submit details of his/her bank account and sort codes so that the information can be processed early enough to avoid delayed payment.
- In addition to the usual details obtained from students proceeding on industrial training, social media/network will be explored such as e-mail address, face book and twitter so as to reach students quickly in cases of emergency.
- Ensure that all students on Industrial training placement are supervised by a team of Ambrose Alli University staff and Industrial Training Fund Zonal Office, Benin City to ensure compliance.