THE IMPACT OF SIWES ON UNDERGRADUATES OF PLATEAU STATE POLYTECHNIC

TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Approval page – – – – – – – – ii
Declaration – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – v
Table of contents – – – – – – – – vi
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vii

CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 1-4
1.2 Statement of the problem – – – – – 4-5
1.3 Purpose of the study – – – – – – 5-6
1.4 Research questions – – – – – – – 6
1.5 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 7
1.6 Scope of the Study – – – – – – – 7-8
1.7 Definition of terms – – – – – — – 8-9

CHAPTER TWO
LITIERATURE REVIEW
2.0. Introduction – – – – – – 10
2.1. History of SIWES – – – – – – 10-12
2.2. The Nature of Training – – – – – 12-13
2.3. The Nature and Scope of SIWES – – – 13-15
2.4. The Aims and Objectives of SIWES – – – 15-17
2.5. Challenges of SIWES on Professional Development of
Students – – – – – – – 17-24
2.6. Benefits of SIWES to Graduates – – – 24-26
2.7. Benefits of SIWES to Students – – – – 26-27
2.8. Summary of Literature Review – – – – 27-29

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1. Introduction – – – – – – – 30
3.2. Research Design – – – – – – 30-31
3.3. Population of the Study – – – – 31
3.4. Are of the Study – – – – – – 31
3.5. Sample and Sampling Method – – – – 32-33
3.6. Instrument Adopted for Data Collection – – 33
3.7. Validity and Reliability of the Instrument – – 33
3.8. Method of Data Collection – – – – 34
3.9. Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 34-35

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0. Introduction – – – – – – – 36
4.1. Bio – Data Presentation – – – – – 36-37
4.2. Results Presentation and Analysis – – – 38-54
4.3. Test of Hypothesis – – – – – – 54-57

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0. Introduction – – – — – – — 58
5.1. Summary of Findings – – – – – 58-60
5.2. Conclusion – – – – – – – 60
5.3. Recommendations – – – – – – 61
5.4. Limitation of the Study – – – – – 62
5.5. Suggestions for Further Studies – – – – 62-63
5.6. Contribution to Knowledge – – – – 63-64
References – – – – – – – 65-66
Appendix A
Appendix B

ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in order to find out the Impact of SIWES on Graduates of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin-Ladi. The chapter one of the research which served as the introduction, was able to look at the background of SIWES, how it came to existence, the statement of the problem was made, research questions were formulated in order to guide the researchers in conducting their research. We went into different literature reviews where we discovered the nature of SIWES, the benefits, the nature and scope, the benefits of SIWES to both students and graduates. In chapter three of the project, we explained how we went about the data collection and in chapter four we presented the data we had collected using the questionnaire, the data was presented in tabular forms and analyses were carried out in percentages. We went ahead to use one of the questions in order to test our hypothesis which seeks to determine whether there is or there is no significant relationship between the job performance index of graduates and SIWES as a programme. And it was discovered that the graduates who have undergone SIWES perform better in their jobs than those who did not. In our chapter five, we summarized our findings that, those who undergo SIWES do better in their job performance compared to those who did not undergo the programme, it was also discovered that attitudes or behaviours of workers in the industry can deter the students from learning the what they came to learn, lack of accommodation, lack of incentives, students’ negative attitudes towards the programme are some of the factors militating against the proper effectiveness of SIWES. It was therefore recommended that government should provide incentives for students who are undergoing the scheme, the workers should also help the students on SIWES to acquire the necessary experience they need, the students should also see SIWES as a course that will help them later in the future, lecturers assigned to supervise students on SIWES should endeavor to do so.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Growing public demand and legislative expectations for accountability in the past two decades have made it imperative that h
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skill development programme established by Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in nineteen seventy three (1973) with the headquarters in Jos Nigeria. It is meant to enable students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria acquire technical skills and experiences for professional development in their course of study as it bridges the gap between theory and practice. It is the accepted skills training programme in institutions of higher learning in Nigerian that forms part of the approved academic requirement in various degree programmes. It is a three credit unit course, which must be met by students before graduation. The scheme is a planned, supervised training and intervention programme based on stated and specific learning and career objectives, leading to the development of occupational competencies of the participants. It is also to expose and prepare students in institutions of higher learning for the industrial work situations which they are to meet after graduation. The scheme equally helps to familiarize students with work methods and expose them to the necessary experience to hand equipment and machinery that are not available in their institutions.
SIWES is also an effort to bridge the existing gap between theory and practicals and exposes students to necessary skills for smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work. It enables students to acquire technical skills and experience for professional development in their study. Before the inception of the Scheme, there was a growing concern among Nigerian industrialists that graduates of institutions of higher learning lacked adequate practical background experience necessary for employment. So, employers were of the opinion that the theoretical education provided by higher institutions did not meet nor satisfy the needs of the economy. It was against this background that the Fund during its formative years, introduced SIWES to provide students with the opportunity of exposure to handle equipment and machinery in Industry to enable them acquire prerequisite practical knowledge and skills. These skills aimed at exposing students to professional work methods as the scheme (SIWES) acts as a catalyst for industrial growth and productivity through professional development.
The Scheme started in nineteen seventy four (1974) in eleven (11) institutions of higher learning with seven hundred and forty-eight (748) participants. By nineteen seventy-eight (1978), it has widened in scope to about five thousand (5,000) participants from thirty-two (32) different institutions in the country. In nineteen seventy-nine (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. The scheme is a tripartite programme 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.
The bodies involved in SIWES operation are known as the stakeholders and they are; the Federal Government of Nigeria (through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry), Industrial Training Fund, National University Commission (NUC), National Board of Technical Colleges (NBTC), National Council of Colleges of Education (NCCE), the institution, the industries or employers and the students.
SIWES is a form of cooperative industrial internship programme among all its stake holders. All stakeholders are involved in the operation of SIWES but students are the key actors who are directly involved in its implementation, all other stakeholders have lesser role to play in the actual training process. SIWES is generic because it cuts across more than sixty (60) programmes in the universities, over forty (40) programmes in the polytechnics and about ten (10) programmes in the colleges of education. Students who participate in this training programme 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.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There is no doubt that SIWES is a laudable skills development programme, geared towards bridging the gap between theories learnt in the class and the actual practice. However, in spite of the importance of SIWES in professional development of students, the scheme has been hampered by the challenges such as non-acceptance of students by some employers, non-relevance of places of training, inadequate supervision of students by some institutions, inadequate SIWES orientation programmes. Lack of finance for the smooth running of the scheme is also a challenge facing SIWES. It is not also a strange thing to discover that some of the graduates who are employed in some industries and companies are incapable of performing in the given task, one wonders therefore, whether they really underwent SIWES during their school days or they are just nonchalant in behaviour. These are the reasons why the researchers set out on a quest to find out what impact SIWES has on graduates who are employed in some industries after graduation.
1.3. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research seeks to identify the following:
1. Challenges faced by students of Federal College of Education Pankshin during their SIWES exercise.
2. To determine the impact which SIWES experience has on the actual performance of Graduates after school.
3. To access the level at which SIWES has enhanced the level of performance of workers after graduating from school.
4. To determine the perceived students attitudes towards SIWES.
5. To make a comparison between the performance level of workers who underwent SIWES during their school days and those who did not.
6. To determine the attitude of the labour market towards students who undergo SIWES training.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research postulated the following questions to serve as a guide in the research process:
1. What are students’ attitudes towards SIWES?
2. Are there factors militating against students who carry out SIWES?
3. What are the attitudes of the labour market towards graduates who have undergone SIWES?
4. What impact does SIWES have on graduates of Federal College of Education Pankshin employed in some industries graduation?
5. What are the differences at performance level of workers who underwent SIWES and those who did not?
6. To what extent has SIWES experience succeeded in enhancing the performance of Graduates of Federal College of Education Pankshin?
1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of SIWES cannot be over emphasized. Hence, the study will be of great significance to curriculum planners. Through the findings from this study, they will be able to design programmes of study that enable students to have a conducive exercise of SIWES. The possible solutions and recommendations from this study will equally hint the government on the areas of which students find difficulty during SIWES. This study will also be of importance to students as they will get to know the relevance of SIWES experience in work performance or during job-searching. Industries will also get to know the basic needs of students undertaking SIWES in their various places, and they will get to meet those needs in order to ensure a smooth exercise or experience for these potential workers.
1.6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is on the impact of SIWES on Graduates of Federal College of Education Pankshin employed in some industries in Abuja, Lafia, Jos etc after graduation. It is conducted in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. The study covered industries in the area mentioned above.
Though the study in restricted to Jos North Local Government Area, the findings might be generic, that is, it can be applicable to other parts of the country as well.
1.7. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Impact: the striking of one thing against another; forceful contact;
collision. The strong effect of something
SIWES: Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a
skill development programme established by Industrial Training Fund (ITF). It is also an effort to bridge the
existing gap between theory and practice and expose students to necessary skills for smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work.
Graduate: A person who has received a degree or diploma on
completing a course of study, as in a university, college, or school. a student who holds the bachelor’s or the first professional degree and is studying for an advanced degree.
Employment: Is a relationship between two parties, usually based
on a contract where work is paid for, where one party, which may be a corporation, or other entity is the employer and the other is the employee. Employees work in return for payment, which may be in the form of an hourly wage, by piecework or an annual salary, depending on the type of work an employee does and/or which sector she or he is working in.
Industry: The manufacturing or technically productive enterprises
in a particular field, country, region, or economy viewed collectively, or one of these individually. A single industry is often named after its principal product; for example, the auto industry. Any general business activity or commercial enterprise that can be isolated from others, such as the tourist industry or the entertainment industry.