ABSTRACT

This is a report on Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) activities conducted at
FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE (FMC) UMUAHIA. The exercise involved training sessions
that lasted for three months at a particular unit of the establishment. The whole three months was
spent at the ELECTRICAL UNIT and experience was gained on the area. Hence, this report
contains a comprehensive summary of all activities undergone, the processes learned as well as
the equipment and tools used, while highlighting the significance of the experience and its
relevance to Electrical Engineering. The experience accumulated during the three-month period
covered area such as ceiling fan installation, sockets installations, fault finding and repairs,
electrical maintenance. For the compilation of this report, research was made on the history and
rationale behind the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme, and from the findings, it was
concluded that the training is indeed relevant to students of science, Engineering and
Technology.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 SIWES BY DEFINITION

The students’ industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) is a skill acquisition training program
that forms part of the minimum requirement standards in various degree awarding programs of
Nigerian Tertiary Institutions, to help students put into practice what they have theoretically
learnt in class.

1.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF SIWES

The provision of decree 47 of 8th October 1997, empowered the industrial Training fund (ITF),
Human Resource Development Organization to promote and encourage the acquisition of skill
and commerce with the view of generating the pool of indigenous trained manpower sufficient to
meet the need of the Nigerian economy. To set and control the standard of excellence and
effectiveness in and offer direct training of professional technicians, technologies and
entrepreneurs to meet human resource need for industrialization and sustainable economic
development of Nigerians relying on a crop of highly motivated and competent professional staff
using best breed training techniques and modern technology.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SIWES

Aims of the SIWES:

SIWES is aimed at exposing students to real life working environment enabling them to put into
practice what they have learnt in class, making them understand the technical implications of
their profession as well as teaching them competence, standard and professionalism.

Objectives of the SIWES:

a. Provide avenue for students in institutions of higher learning to acquire industrial skills
and experience in their course of study.
b. Prepare students for the work situation they are likely to face after graduation
c. Make the transition from school to work easier and enhance students’ contact for later job
placement.
d. Provide students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge to real work situation
thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.

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 e. Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery
that may not be available in their institutions.
f. Enlist and strengthen employers’ involvement in the entire educational process and
prepare students for employment after graduation.

1.3 BRIEF PROFILE OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE UMUAHIA

The Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia came into existence in November 1991. It
metamorphosed from the queen Elizabeth Hospital which was commissioned on March 24, 1956
by Sir Clement Pleas representing Queen Elizabeth the second of England. It started as a joint
mission hospital administered by the Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian churches. Before its
takeover by the Federal Government, it had first been taken over from the missions by the then
Imo State Government under the then Military Governor – Navy Captain Godwin Ndubuisi
Kanu (now A retired rear Admiral). It was renamed Ramat Specialist Hospital in honour of the
late slain Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed. During the first republic under the
administration of late Chief Sam Mbakwe, Governor of the old Imo state, it reverted to its
original name – Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It thus became the Federal Medical Centre (FMC),
Umuahia on its takeover in November 1991. It is the first FMC to be so recognized.

1.4 DEPARTMENTS IN FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE UMUAHIA

 Chempath
 Clinical
 Community Development
 Medical Microbiology
 Medical Records
 Nursing Services
 Obstetrics and Gynaecology
 Opthalmology
 Psychiatry
 Theraphy
 Works and maintenance; Electrical Engineering unit, Mechanical Engineering unit etc.

1.5 ELECTRICAL UNIT (UNDER WORKS AND MAINTENANCE

DEPARTMENT)

The Electrical unit focuses on preventative and maintenance measures to maintain equipment
and wiring and diagnose problems when malfunctions happen. Also, repair equipments, check
breakers and switches for issues, and ensure generators are operating properly, both for
convenience of patients and workers safety.

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 CHAPTER TWO

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

Some of the major works carried out by the electrical unit in FMC Umuahia include; electrical
installation, electrical repairs and electrical maintenance.

2.0 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION

An electrical installation is a group of items of electrical equipment that are permanently

electrically connected together and can be supplied with electricity from the works of an
electricity entity or from a generating source.

2.1 CEILING FAN INSTALLATION

Ceiling fans are one of the major electrical devices needed in most hospital wards and offices in
FMC Umuahia. The Electrical unit takes care of it and ensures they are in good functional
condition.

A ceiling fan is a fan mounted on the ceiling of a room or space, usually electrically powered,
that uses hub-mounted rotating blades to circulate air.

Parts needed:

 Electricians tape
 A selection of wire connectors, also referred to as wire nuts used to connect two or more
electrical wires
 Additional chain to extend the pull chains (depending on the height of the ceiling in the
room).
 A plastic or metal electrical junction box
 Wood screws for anchoring the junction box
 Electrical cord or wire
 Protective cord covering
 Electrical plug

Tools needed for ceiling fan installation:

1. Ladder.
2. Wire Cutters/Strippers.
3. Circuit Tester/Voltage Detector.
4. Adjustable Wrench.
5. Pliers.
6. Screwdrivers.

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7. Eye Protection.
8. Work Gloves.

Steps:

1. Clear The Room You Are Working In

2. Prepare The Ceiling For Installation

3. Power Down The Circuit You Are Working On

4. Mount The Junction Box And Mounting Bracket

5. Install The Downrod To Your Ceiling

6. Install The Ceiling fan.

7. Add the fan blades.

2.2 ELECTRICAL REPAIRS

Electrical Repairs means fixing any sort of electrical device should it become out of working
order or broken (known as repair, unscheduled, or casualty maintenance).

The Electrical unit takes charge in the repair of all the electrical equipments in the hospital that
gets spoilt. Such as automatic voltage regulators (AVR), wall sockets, switches, ceiling/standing
fans etc.

2.3 ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

Electrical maintenance is the process of ensuring that electrical equipment is kept in good
working order. It includes inspecting, testing, and repairing electrical equipment as necessary to
prevent problems that could lead to a loss of power or an electrical fire.

Electrical maintenance that are often done in the hospital include changing of bulbs, switches,
wall sockets, plugs and replacement of a ceiling fan capacitor that went bad in the different
wards and offices of the hospital.

Replacement of a ceiling fan capacitor

The capacitor is usually a black box inside the switch housing of the fan. If the case appears
burnt or melted in any way, that is also the sign of a bad capacitor and it should be replaced.
Keep in mind that there may be other components in the circuit with the defective capacitor.
These should also be properly checked and replaced if found defective. Not doing so may simply
render the replacement capacitor defective upon power up.

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Signs of a bad capacitor in a ceiling fan include:

 Fan runs slowly or not at all on all speeds

 Fan will not start but will spin if started by hand
 Certain speeds are slow or do not work
 The motor hums and turns freely by hand but will not spin

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 CHAPTER THREE

SUMMARY, CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED AND CONCLUSIONS

3.0 SUMMARY OF ATTACHMENT ACTIVITIES

During the period of the SIWES training, a lot of practical hands-on understanding of the
concepts in this report was gained. This was courtesy of the engineering team at federal medical
centre Umuahia especially with the introduction to the use of various electrical tools and also
how different electrical installations are carried out.

3.1 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

Despite all laudable achievements recorded during the SIWES, the whole experience, fascinating
as it was, did not come without some challenges- there was general difficulty in students getting
IT placements in the short available time. Those who manage to secure spots were either not paid
or the pay was too meager to take care of their basic needs.

3.2 CONCLUSION

The industrial training at FMC Umuahia was a huge success during which invaluable practical
knowledge on tools handling, various electrical installation, safety and maintenance was gained.

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