Last Updated on February 18, 2025 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
By Raymond Osemene
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has organised an Orientation Programme for Batch B students of the 2024/2025 Academic Session in preparation for their upcoming Industrial Training.
The Batch B students were from Non-Agriculture related Colleges, that were the College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), College of Engineering (COLENG), College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC).
Others were the College of Biosciences (COLBIOS), College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS) and College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET). The event was a collaborative effort between SIWES and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
In his address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olukayode Akinyemi, described SIWES as a skill acquisition programme designed to expose tertiary institution students to real-world industrial experiences, equipping them for life after graduation. He urged the students to be good ambassadors of FUNAAB wherever they find themselves during their training.
Prof. Akinyemi, who also serves as the Chairman of the SIWES Committee, expressed profound gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, for his unwavering support for SIWES and ITF. He also acknowledged the contributions of the ITF Area Manager, Mrs. Bolanle Ajibade.
Earlier in her Welcome Address, the Director of SIWES, Prof. Oluwatoyin Afolabi, stressed that SIWES was a structured skill-training programme aimed at exposing students to practical industrial work situations they were likely to encounter after their studies. She noted that the programme was designed to complement the theoretical aspects of their courses, ensuring that graduates are well-grounded and adequately prepared to manage industries, factories, and production outlets in the future.
Prof. Afolabi further highlighted that the scheme bridges the gap between theory and practice in sciences, engineering, and other disciplines. She added that it also familiarizes students with machines, professional work ethics, and safety protocols essential for workplaces such as industries, offices, laboratories, and hospitals.
Delivering her remarks, the ITF Area Manager, Mrs. Bolanle Ajibade, stated that the ITF was established in 1973 to equip students with industrial skills and hands-on experience relevant to their fields of study. She explained that the programme provides exposure to specialised equipment and machinery that may not be available within their institutions.
Mrs. Ajibade expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor and the University Management for their cordial relationship with ITF, noting that FUNAAB has remained actively involved in ITF programmes and initiatives.
