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 Medubi 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
FACULTY DEPARTMENT/DISCIPLINCE

  • AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
    HOME ECONOMICS
    FOOD SCIENCE
    FORESTRY RESOURCES & MANAGEMENT
    AQUACULTURE &FISHERIES
  • MANAGEMENT SCIENCES ACCOUNTING
    FINANCE
    INDUDTRIAL RELATION & PERSONEL MGT.
  • EDUCATION BUSINESS EDUCATION
    EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
    TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
    HEALTH EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION
  • COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION SCIENCES COMPUTER SCIENCE
    LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE
    INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION SCIENCE
    TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCE
  • 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
  • ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ARCHITECTURE
    ESTATE MANAGEMENT
    QUANTITY SURVEYING
    SURVEYING & GEOINFORMATIC
    SURDAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
  • LIFE SCIENCE BIOCHEMISTRY
    MICROBIOLOGY
    PLANT BIOLOGY
    ZOOLOGY
    OPTOMETRY & VISION SCIENCE
  • PHYSICAL SCIENCE GEOLOGY &MINERAL SCIENCE
    INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY
    APPLIED GEOPHYSICS
    CHEMISTRY
    PHYSICS
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
  • VETERINARY MEDICINE VETERINARY MEDICINE
  • PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES PHARMACY
  • CLINICAL SCIENCES NURSING
  • 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