Background

There has been growing concern among employers that graduates lack practical experience to prepare them for the workforce. This gap between theoretical knowledge and real-life application led to the establishment of the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) in 1973. SIWES aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry practices, helping students better integrate into the workforce after graduation. The scheme is a collaborative effort involving students, universities, and industries, and is funded by the Nigerian government. It is coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Universities Commission (NUC). SIWES is a requirement for accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The University of Ilorin introduced SIWES in the Faculty of Engineering in 1979 and upgraded it to a Directorate in 1999. Currently, it serves over 5,000 students annually across 13 Faculties and 47 Departments.

The Unit source for placement opportunities for our students, possible collaboration and interventions with employers of labour.

Updates of Directors

S/№	Name of Director	Duration of Tenure
1	Mr J.O. Oguntola	Aug. 1979 – Jul. 1999
2	Prof. M.A. Mesubi	Jul. 1999 –   Jun. 2000
3	Prof. S.A. Abdulkareem	Jul. 2000 –   Feb. 2008
4.	Dr. C.J. Ejieji	Feb. 2008 – Mar. 2010
5	Dr. (Mrs) G.C. Nzeh	Mar. 2010 – Aug. 2012
6	Prof. S.H. Umoh	Aug. 2012 – Jul. 2015
7	Prof. J.K. Joseph	Aug. 2015 – Feb. 2017
8	Prof. R.A. Olawepo	Feb. 2017 – Mar. 2018
9	Dr. W.O. Raji	Mar. 2018 – Nov. 2020
10	Prof. F.O. Nwosu	Nov. 2020 – Jul. 2023
11	Prof. R.M.O. Kayode	Aug. 2023 to Date