INTRODUCTION/BRIEF HISTORY

Over the years, there has been growing concern among industries/establishments that graduates of our Institutions of higher learning lacked adequate practical experiences that prepare them for employment in industries. This observation confirms the fact that there is a gap between learning and application i.e. theory and practice in real life. In order to bridge this gap, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) instituted the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) in 1973. The primary objective of the scheme is to bridge the gap between theories learned by students in their classrooms and the practical world of work in line with their various courses of study. This exposure is expected to prepare students to fit more readily into various industrial establishments after graduation.

The scheme is a tripartite programme, involving the Students, the Universities and the Industries (employers of labour). The programme is funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria and jointly coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC).

It is worthy of note that SIWES has become a requirement for accreditation by coordinating agencies such as the National University Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

The SIWES Unit, University of Ilorin was started in the Faculty of Engineering in 1979 as an Industrial Coordinating Unit catering for engineering students on industrial attachment. The foundation staff comprised an Industrial Coordinator (J.O. Oguntola), a Secretary/Typist and an Office Assistant until 1993 when an Assistant Industrial Coordinator (Engineer Fatoki) was engaged.

As an accreditation requirement by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the unit

was formally upgraded to a Directorate in the office of the Vice-Chancellor with Prof. M.A

Mesubi as Director in July, 1999.

Presently, the Unit caters for more than 5,000 students which cuts across Thirteen (13) Faculties and Forty-seven (47) Departments.

Faculties & Departments Participating in SIWES in University of Ilorin

S/NO	FACULTY	DEPARTMENT/DISCIPLINCE
1.	AGRICULTURE	AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE HOME ECONOMICS FOOD SCIENCE FORESTRY RESOURCES & MANAGEMENT AQUACULTURE &FISHERIES
2.	MANAGEMENT SCIENCES	ACCOUNTING FINANCE INDUDTRIAL RELATION & PERSONEL MGT.
3.	EDUCATION	BUSINESS EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION HEALTH EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION
4.	COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION SCIENCES	COMPUTER SCIENCE LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION SCIENCE TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCE
5.	ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY	AGRICULTURE &BIO-SYSTEM ENGINEERING BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING COMPUTER ENGINEERING ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONICS ENGINEEERING FOOD ENGINEERING MATERIALS & METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING WATER RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
6.	ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES	ARCHITECTURE ESTATE MANAGEMENT QUANTITY SURVEYING SURVEYING & GEOINFORMATIC SURDAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
7.	LIFE SCIENCE	BIOCHEMISTRY MICROBIOLOGY PLANT BIOLOGY ZOOLOGY OPTOMETRY & VISION SCIENCE
8.	PHYSICAL SCIENCE	GEOLOGY &MINERAL SCIENCE INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY APPLIED GEOPHYSICS CHEMISTRY PHYSICS
9.	SOCIAL SCIENCES	GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
10.	VETERINARY MEDICINE	VETERINARY MEDICINE
11.	PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES	PHARMACY
12.	CLINICAL SCIENCES	NURSING
13.	BASIC CLINICAL SCIENCES	PHYSIOTHERAPHY MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE

• Courses unapproved by the NUC from SIWES funding but, enjoys logistic support from the Unit Note: 38 – Funding courses 9 – Unfunded courses

Past and Current Directors

S/NO	NAME OF DIRECTOR	DURATION OF TENURE
1.	Mr J.O. Oguntola	August 1979 – July 1999
2.	Prof.M.A.Mesubi	July 1999 – June 2000
3.	Prof.S.A.Abdulkareem	July 2000 – February 2008
4.	Dr.C.J.Ejieji	February 2008 – March 2010
5.	Dr.(Mrs) G.C.Nzeh	March 2010 – August 2012
6.	Prof.S.H. Umoh	August 2012 – July 2015
7.	Prof.J.K.Joseph	August 2015 – February 2017
8.	Prof.R.A.Olawepo	February 2017 – March 2018
9.	Dr.W.O.Raji	March 2018 – November 2020
10.	Prof.F.O.Nwosu	November 2020 – Till Date

ABOUT SIWES

Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a tripartite programme, involving the students, the Universities and the industries (employers of labour). The programme is funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria and jointly coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC). SIWES at the University of Ilorin started in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology in 1979 as an Industrial Coordinating Unit catering for engineering students on Industrial attachment. The unit was formally upgraded to a Directorate in the Office of the Vice – Chancellor in August 1999. Currently, the unit has its own separate building, caters for Thirteen (13) Faculties with about 50 courses/departments.

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME

1. The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a Skills Training Programme designed to prepare and expose Students of Tertiary institutions to the Industrial Work situation they are likely to meet after graduation.  The Scheme affords Students the opportunity of familiarizing and exposing themselves to handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in their Institutions.
2. It is against this background that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) initiated, designed and introduced SIWES Scheme in 1973 to acquaint Students with the skills of handling Industrial equipment and machinery.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA

(a)        Provide adequate funds to the Industrial Training Fund through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment for the Scheme.

(b)        Make it mandatory for all Ministries, Companies and Parastatals to offer places for the attachment of Students in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 47 of 1971 as amended in 2011.  The relevant provisions of the amended act are as follows:

Shall Accept Students for Industrial Attachment Purposes

The Decree under section 7A (2) stipulate penalties in default of section 7A (1) (b).

Section 7A (2)

“Any employer who is in breach of the provision of the sub-section (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and liable to conviction:

(a)        In the case of a corporate body, to a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) for the first breach and One Million Naira (N1,000.00.00) for subsequent breach; and

(b)        In the case of Chief Executive, Secretary, or other Principal Officers of the Company, to a fine of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000.00) or two years imprisonment for the first breach and three years imprisonment without option of a fine for each subsequent breach.

OBJECTIVES OF SIWES

Specifically, the objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are to:

(a)        Provide avenue for Students in Institutions of higher Learning to acquire industrial skills and experience in their course of study;

(b)        Expose Students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery that may not be available in their Institutions;

(c)        Make the transition from school to the world of work easier, and enhance Students contacts for later job placement;

(d)        Provide Students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice; and

(e)        Enlist and strengthen Employer’s involvement in the entire educational process and prepare Students for employment after graduation.

Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a tripartite programme, involving the students, the Universities and the industries (employers of labour). The programme is funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria and jointly coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC). SIWES at the University of Ilorin started in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology in 1979 as an Industrial Coordinating Unit catering for engineering students on Industrial attachment. The unit was formally upgraded to a Directorate in the Office of the Vice – Chancellor in August 1999. Currently, the unit has its own separate building, caters for Thirteen (13) Faculties with about 50 courses/departments.

UNIVERSITY ROLES

The role of the University in this scheme includes the following:

1. Identify placement opportunities for students’ attachment with industries/ employers.
2. Organize Orientation programmes for students to prepare them for Industrial training.
3. Work out Industrial tailor – made programmes with the employers – based supervisor on the National Industrial training guidelines on each course.
4. Supervise students on attachment and sign their logbooks.
5. Assess students’ performance and award grades accordingly.
6. Submit completed ITF Form 8 and comprehensive reports on the scheme to the ITF after the programme.
7. Prepare and submit Master and Placement lists to the respective coordinating agencies- NUC and ITF