EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY ABAKALIKI, EBONYI STATE.

DIGITALIZING STUDENTS’ INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE

SCHEME (S.I.W.E.S), PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES.

A SEMINAR REPORT PRESENTED

BY

(NWUJIOKAH GODSTIME ONYIBE)

(EBSU/2016/83904)
SUBMITTED TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE
AWARD OF A BACHELOR’S DEGREE (B. SC) IN COMPUTER
SCIENCE.
FACULTY OF SCIENCE.
EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY ABAKALIKI.

SUPERVISOR: DR. F. U ONU

MARCH, 2021.
 ABSTRACT

Training constitutes a basic concept in human resource development. It is

concerned with developing a particular skill to a desired standard by instruction
and practice. SIWES programme is one of such training given to students in
tertiary institutions to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Consequently,
this paper suggested ways of improving, computerizing and digitalizing the
Students’ Industrial Working Experience Scheme (SIWES) in our Nigeria
educational system such filling of log book for students’ day-to-day activities,
registration, dissemination of information and supervision/assessment by lecturers
and industry based supervisors. The paper also looked into brief history of
SIWES.
Furthermore, the need for SIWES training was stretched and factors that tend to
impede the smooth running of SIWES programme in the institution were identified
and finally, solutions were proffered and useful and necessary recommendations
made.
 SECTION ONE
INTRODUCTION
Since creation, there has been a constant quest by man to improve on his quality of
life and existence, this ever-increasing question has been necessitated, and
propelled by the simple need for man to address the challenges posed by his
environment. The continuous quest to bridge the gap between industrial work
practices and the knowledge gained in institutions has remained the major driving
force in supporting Internships. This as a result of the fact that students graduate
with little or no working knowledge of the industry practices there by finding it
difficult to cope once employed (Abdullahi, 2009). This is especially true for
science and technical oriented courses. Therefore, the need to acquire the relevant
experiences from industries before graduating from institutions becomes a
necessity before graduating from institutions and a number of manpower, planning
and career development programmer have been designed. 
Due to this fact in 1973, Nigeria government developed an internship program,
Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) for undergraduate students
of Nigerian universities and other higher institutions to be headed and managed by
Industrial Training Find (ITF). ITF as a body was charged with such responsibility
and with backing from the Nigerian constitution of Decree 47 of 1971 to
judiciously utilize the funds that would from time to time be allocated to it for
ensuring that students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria acquire good working
experience before graduating (Adetiba et al., 2012). In 1979 the Industrial Training
Fund, withdrew from the managing the scheme due to problems of organizational
logistics and the increased financial burden as a result of rapid expansion of
SIWES (ITF, 2016). The scheme is a tripartite program that incorporates the
students, the institutions, and the industries. In Nigeria SIWES is financed by the
federal government (through the ministry of commerce and industry) and managed
by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) aiming at making education more relevant
and also to bridge the yearning gap between theory and practice of Engineering,
Technology and other related disciplines in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. SIWES
is a form of cooperative industrial internship program among all its stake holders.
Mafe (2009) stated that all stakeholders are involved in the operation of SIWES
but that students are the key actors that are directly involved in its implementation,
all other stakeholders have lesser role to play in the actual training process.
The scheme is also meant to familiarize student with work methods and expose
them to the needed experience in handling such equipment and machinery that are
not usually available in the educational institutions and hopefully to train self-
reliant Nigerian students who would bring the positive impact and change in the
economic situation of the nation.   To serve as encouragement, SIWES students
after their IT program are being paid approved, specific amount of money as
allowance for embarking on the program. 
Notwithstanding, the program is mostly six month training scheme in which
students are attached to industries that are relevant to their field of study. Students
who participate in this training program include those studying Library and
Information Science, Engineering, Vocational, Technological and related courses
in higher institution of learning. Other courses involved in SIWES include
Agricultural science, Forestry, Industrial Chemistry, Microbiology, Geology and
Mineral Science, Physics and Mineral Science, Plant and Environmental Biology,
Computer Science, Tourism and Hospitality, Business Education, Industrial
Engineering, Enterprise Creation and Management. The success of the scheme
requires collaboration between ITF, Industries, and the Tertiary institutions of the
country and the constitution provided for such.
OBJECTIVES OF S.I.W.E.S

 To provide opportunities of applying their knowledge to real practice

thereby making easier the college work.
 To enable students to practice theory been taught at school and
provide access to the production equipment not available in the
school.
 To provide skillful experience to all students in the school of
technologies, polytechnics and universities.
 To inspire students about their careers.
 To provide more man power to industries.
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT.
The need to digitalize S.I.W.E.S cannot be over emphasized. For a student to gain

the required knowledge from industrial training experiences, he/she must be well

monitored to ensure that he/she does not just participate in the training scheme in

fulfilment of its mandatory status, but also acquire relevant experiences. Without

digitalizing the SIWES, it is impossible to monitor the interns properly since

distance between interns and supervisors and the lack of access to good reference

source hinders the actualization of the desired goals.

MOTIVATION.

The most outstanding of these reasons is the bridging of the gap between

supervisors and interns by computerizing SIWES.

 SECTION TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter deals with reviewing work that have been previously done on the
subject matter as well as other related areas. To that effect, the researcher took time
to cite works done by different authors in this subject matter. The authorities
quoted are as below:
Training is a key factor in enhancing the efficiency and expertise of the workforce
(Ugwuanyi&Ezenma, 2010). The inherent premise is that, until human resources
are developed through education and training, a society cannot develop its
potentialities, especially in terms of utilizing the requisite skills in industrial
development (Ugwuanyi&Ezenma, 2010). Industrial development is a crucial
process that transcends other development processes; among other things, it
requires effective management and exploration of skilled human resources, a sound
industrial policy, purposeful and a consistent educational system that relates
economic realities with education, training and effective human resources
planning, which are the hallmarks of sustainable industrial development
(Oghenekohwo, 2006).
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is the acceptable skills
training programme which forms part of the minimum academic standards in the
various diploma and degree programmes for Nigerian Polytechnics and
Universities. It is effort to bridge the existing gap between theory and practical
science and technology and other professional educational programmes in the
Nigerian tertiary institutions (Akerejola 2004 Allen and Craig 1987).
Okolocha and Okolocha (2012) stated that most of Nigerian tertiary institutions do not have the
necessary equipment and facilities to equip the students with the necessary skills and
competencies, it is then necessary for schools to liaise with industries where these modern
facilities can be found for students to be exposed to real practical activities.
The importance of SIWES cannot be overemphasized. It provides students with an
opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in real life situation. Also it
exposes students to more practical work methods and techniques. Furthermore, it
strengthens links between the employers, the polytechnics, the Industrial Training
Fund (ITF), and finally, it also prepares the students for the labor market after
graduation. (ITF, 2009 and ITF, 2013). The Student Industrial Work Experience
Scheme (SIWES) therefore is aimed at giving the students the opportunity to relate
and translate their theoretical knowledge to the real world of work.
According to Ogbonnaya (2016), the importance of industrial training in the
development of the Nigerian economy led to the enactment of Decree 47 of 1971,
which also established the ITF as the first federal agency responsible for the
production of highly skilled workers in the country. Following Decree 47 of 1971,
the ITF discovered extensive lack of practical skills by indigenous engineers; it
also found a huge gap between theoretically and practically inclined courses in the
country’s higher institutions. Owing to these deficiencies, the ITF initiated the
SIWES programme in 1973 (Ogbonnaya, 2016).
The benefits acquiring to students who participated in Industrial Training are the
skills and competences they acquire. These relevant production skills remain a part
of the recipient of industrial training as lifelong assets which cannot be taken away
from them. This is because the knowledge and skills acquired through training are
internalized and become relevant when required to perform job. (Olusegun 2009).
The extent of objective realization and acceptability of SIWES in Nigeria has been
described in several researches that assess the impact and challenges of the
scheme. Ukwueze, (2011) shows that the scheme has positive impact on students
as they showed employability skills after participating in the SIWES; also Oyeniyi,
(2012) shows that graduates demonstrated the significant impact of the scheme in
terms of skills acquisition and utilization; research also shows that students, having
participated in the scheme, show acceptability of the scheme and encourage
continuous support of it by the relevant bodies and Government (Nse, 2012).
Mafe (2009) stated that all stakeholders are involved in the operation of SIWES
but that students are the key actors that are directly involved in its implementation,
all other stakeholders have lesser role to play in the actual training process.
Mafe (2010) citing Crag (1987) stated that, SIWES is generic because it cuts
across more than 60 programmes in the universities, over 40 programmes in the
polytechnics and about 10 programmes in the colleges of education.
Okolocha and Okolocha (2012) stated that most of Nigerian tertiary institutions do
not have the necessary equipment and facilities to equip the students with the
necessary skills and competencies, it is then necessary for schools to liaise with
industries where these modern facilities can be found for students to be exposed to
real practical activities.
As a programme of occupational education to be coordinated by higher education
institutions and industry, SIWES involves the alternation of study in school and
keeping a job in a specialized field. The programme requires proper planning and
supervision by both the schools and their employers so that the objective of the
programme, i.e. the attainment of industrial development, can be met (Ojokuku,
Emeahara, Aboyade& Chris-Israel, 2015). Mafe (2010) describes SIWES as a
planned and supervised training programme based on some specific learning and
career objectives, with the aim of developing the occupational competencies of a
student in his or her area of specialization.
According to the ITF’s Policy Document No.1 of 1973, the objectives of SIWES
are as follows:
i. to provide an avenue for students in the higher institutions to acquire
industrial skills and experience during their course of study and prepare
 them for practical knowledge that will make them employable after their
graduation from school;
ii. SIWES will expose the students to work methods and techniques in
handling equipment and machinery that may not be available in their
institutions;
iii. To make transition from school to the world of work easier, thereby giving
them opportunities to apply their educational knowledge in real work
situations, and bridging the gap between theory and practice;
iv. To strengthen employer’s involvement and contributions in the educational
system through SIWES (ITF, 2002).
According to Omar, Kofli and Mat (2008), the objectives of the industrial training
are:
i. To expose the students to practical knowledge which is specific to their
course areas and to the nature of industry selected;
ii. To expose the students to their responsibility concerning their profession;
iii. And to develop the students’ communication skills that include interaction
within the working environment and technical writing.
The above objectives were supported by a study carried out by Mofesola (2012).
However, the scheme is still faced with several challenges that inhibit the full
realization of the objective of the scheme. Among many are challenges associated
with proper supervision and coordination of the process, non-compliance by
industries to accept such students (Nse, 2012); fuzzy job specification for the
different courses, students’ interest in participating in a skill oriented projects, and
inadequate supervision (Olabiyi and Okarfor, 2012); other challenges included
finances, students’ placements, irregular academic calendars (Ojokulu et al., 2015).
These and several other researches show that coordination and supervision has
remained the biggest challenges towards the full realization of SIWES scheme in
Nigeria. There are lots of problems with the traditional logbook that justify the
quest for a better way of handling internship experience logbook. Perhaps the most
outstanding of this reason is the bridging of the gap between supervisors and
interns. The Nigerian academic curriculum has witnessed a lot of disruptions in
recent times mostly because of massive industrial actions to drive home a demand.
Only recently, the Nigerian universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education
embarked on an over six month’s nationwide strike. The students who were
undergoing IT training at that time will have to depend solely on their industry
supervisor and instincts. With information technology and the gains associated
with it, most nation of the world has successfully migrated from the paper method
of keeping records. It is therefore a worthwhile venture to affirm the already
introduced practice of modernity since we have much to learn/do if we are to be
able to be able to rub shoulders with our counterparts elsewhere.
Presently, an internship student needs to make their logbook in a physical paper
which is only visible for him or herself view. Then after their internship program is
done, they need to come back to their various institutions in order to submit the
logbook to the lecturer for grade and graduation purpose. Therefore Supervisors
have to wait till the end of the training scheme to assess the performance of the
students. As a result of this problem, supervisors find it very difficult to monitor
the progress of the student regularly. It is against this backdrop that this study, sort
the way to bridge the gap between the student on IT and the supervisors.
Finally, as an industrial development scheme, SIWES faces a number of problems.
For instance, despite the existence of guidelines stipulating the roles and
responsibilities of the various stakeholders under the scheme, the organizational
structure has continued to feature operational dysfunctions, avoidable
administrative delays and bottlenecks as well as avoidable overheads in the
implementation of the programme. The negative effects of the organizational
structure on the implementation of SIWES are numerous, one of them being the
process of payment of student allowances that have run into a backlog of about
five years (Mafe, 2010).The basic problems of SIWES include improper
compilation of students master and placement lists, improper, inadequate and
inefficient supervision, lack of accommodation for trainees, the unfriendly attitude
of other workers, inadequate orientation of students, and the attitude of students
towards industrial training (Ogbonnaya, 2016).
According to Meenaloshini, Boosroh and Yusoff (2005), among the major
problems faced by the SIWES programme in Nigeria are scheduling between
university and workplace, mismatch between work and student interest, lack of
cooperation from employers and issue of monitoring or supervision of students’
progress, especially in their place of assignment, as well as keeping track of
attendance of training. SIWES is now a competitive endeavor for students because
very few of them are now being accepted for placement by employers of labor, a
situation that is complicated by the requirement by some organizations that
students must have high grade point averages to be engaged (Pillai&Yusoff, 2007).
Ukwueze (2011) found problems confronting the SIWES programme to include
lack of adequate supervision, non-signing of necessary materials like ITF Form 8
and students’ logbooks at their workplace, difficulties of students in getting
placement, as well as unnecessary delay in the payment of students’ and
supervisor’s allowances.
 SECTION THREE
DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION
This section deals with the discussion and evaluation of the topic. Consequently,
this chapter will be considering the problem of the existing topic and recommend
solutions for consideration.
There are lots of problems with the traditional logbook that justify the quest for a
better way of handling internship experience logbook and unnecessary delay and
stress to SIWES students.
The following solutions should be provided to enhance, computerize and digitalize
the manual process of students’ industrial work experience scheme (S.I.W.E.S).
3.1 ELECTRONIC LOGBOOK

A logbook is a book where information is recorded for review and tracking. It

often has to be hardcover. Logbooks are used in the workplace to keep track
of events, actions, and measurements - and many other things. Students on
S.I.W.E.S uses logbook to keep the track of their record as well.
The need for an electronic logbook for S.I.W.E.S cannot be over emphasized. For a
student to gain the required knowledge from industrial training experiences, he/she
must be well monitored to ensure that he/she does not just participate in the
training scheme in fulfilment of its mandatory status, but also acquire relevant
experiences. The lack of electronic logbook makes this nearly impossible since
distance between interns and supervisors and the lack of access to good reference
source hinders the actualization of the desired goals.
With information technology and the gains associated with it, most nation of the
world has successfully migrated from the paper method of keeping records. It is
therefore a worthwhile venture to affirm the already introduced practice of
modernity since we have much to learn/do if we are to be able to be able to rub
shoulders with our counterparts elsewhere.
The following are the objectives of electronic logbook:
 The training logbook is to assist the students to keep records of daily
activities during the course of the SIWES programme.
 The daily work carried out by each student during the training period is to be
recorded clearly with sketches and diagrams are to be uploaded where
necessary.
 Industry-based Supervisors are required to check and comment on the e-
logbook on weekly basis.
 The Institution-based Supervisors are to check the e-logbook on weekly
basis to ensure that proper training is being received by the students. The
weekly comments by the institution-based supervisors will form part of the
final assessment of the students after the SIWES programme.
The following are the advantages of using electronic logbook.
 It provides a better storage system and retrieval mechanism.
 It is easier to use. 
 It is more secure, since users are authenticated, before they are
granted access to the database.
 It provide additional functions like acting as a source of notifying
interns about information the school wishes to pass.
Fig 3.1 E Logbook Page

3.2 DEVELOPMENT OF E-SIWES PORTAL

A web based platform for student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES)
management will offer the following opportunities to SIWES students.
i. The portal will contain the e-log book which students shall fill.
ii. The blog site on the portal helps students to keep abreast of what is required
of them while on SIWES training and gives them necessary information as
regards their ongoing academic program.
iii. View images of students embarking on their SIWES program.
iv. View event and event images.
v. Students can fill all necessary forms and the form can be viewed by those
authorized to view them.
vi. School supervisors can track student’s progress from their comfort place.
vii. Students and supervisors are able to send messages between themselves.
viii. The portal will give provision for ITF to track the progress of the SIWES
students.
ix. Since students almost spend years before receiving their SIWES allowance,
this portal will enhance timely payment of SIWES allowance to students.

FINDINGS: The study found that the students benefited from their SIWES
programme and were exposed to real working environments in their area of
studies; that there were improvements in their personal working and
communication skills; that they gained knowledge of the latest technologies as well
as other knowledge that would be useful in their working lives.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The study encourages students to participate
actively in the SIWES programme and pay serious attention to their industrial
supervisors. However, employers should do more to equip students
technologically, while the government should adequately fund and monitor the
programme in order to meet its objectives.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study examined the present state of the SIWES
programme in Nigerian universities and advocates its improvement towards
enhancing economic development.
 SECTION FOUR
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

4.1 CONCLUSION
In summary, this study suggests that quite a number of students in both public and
private higher institutions can travel abroad to undertake the SIWES program. This
is actually a very good development both for the country and for the students.
However, monitoring such students has always been a very tedious task. But with
the digitalization of SIWES, it will be a timely and adequate solution to this
problem and host of other administrative based challenges that have bedeviled the
SIWES program over the years.

4.2 RECOMMENDATION
The study therefore recommends as follows:
1. SIWES portal should be implemented in all tertiary institution.
2. Industry based personal should be properly trained on the use of ICT devices
to facilitate communication with institution based personal.
3. Institution should ensure that their personnel and student are knowledgeable
in the use of ICT.
4. Students must be encouraged to participate actively in the SIWES
programme to enhance their relevant production skills so that they would be
employable after graduation.
5. Employers should give trainees more access to modern equipment in order
to brighten their prospects.
6. Students are implored to take the SIWES programme very seriously since it
contributes to improvements in their attitude to work as well as their
personal and communication skills.
7. Qualified full-time coordinators with good public relations skills should be
employed by both the institutions and the employers to supervise the
programme so that better results may be achieved.