CHAPTER ONE

1.1.

INTRODUCTION

SIWES, the acronym of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme is a

program organized by Industrial Training Fund (ITF) under decree 47 of 1971 as
amended in 1990 to help students acquire skills and laboratory exposure outside
their various school environments.
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme is the accepted skills training
program which forms part of the approved minimum academic standards in the
various degree gap existing between theories and practice of engineering and
technologies, science, agriculture, medical, management and other professional
educational programs in the Nigerian tertiary institutions. It is aimed at exposing
students to machines and equipments, professional work methods and ways of
safeguarding the work areas and workers in industries and other organizations. The
scheme is a tripartite program, involving the student, the universities and the
industries (employers of labour.
Consequently, I carried out my SIWES program at the National Roots Crops
Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike in Abia state. During the course of my study
in the institution, I was posted to various units of the institution which had different

tasks and responsibilities that were carried out in it. These units include amongst
others;
- Farming Systems Research and Extension (FSRE)
- Plant Protection Laboratory Unit and
- Biochemistry Laboratory Unit.

1.2.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME

Specifically, the objectives of the Students Industrial Works Experience Scheme

are to:
(i)

Provide an avenue for students in the Nigerian universities to acquire

(ii)

industrial skills and experience in their course of studies.

Prepare students for the work situation they are likely to meet after

(iii)

graduation.
Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipments

(iv)

and machinery that may not be available in the universities.

Make the transition from the university to world of work easier, and thus

(v)

enhance students contacts for later job placement.

Enlist and strengthen employers involvement in the entire educational
process of preparing university graduates for employment in industry.

1.3.

BRIEF HISTORY OF NATIONAL ROOT CROPS RESEACH

INSTITUTE (NRCRI), UMUDIKE

The NRCRI Umudike, which is one of the seventeen agricultural research
institutes in Nigeria, started as a provincial experimental farm under the Nigerian
department of agriculture with headquarters at moor plantation Ibadan, in January
1923. In 1955, the training arm-school of agriculture was established and the two
establishments came under directorate of agriculture with headquarter at Enugu
following the regionalization of the country and were known as the Eastern
Nigerian Agricultural Research Station.
Due to the fact that the institute was merged with the school of agriculture in the
1956, it became Agricultural Research and Training Stations (ARTS). It became
Federal Agricultural Research Training Station (FARTS) in April 1, 1972 when it
assumed a federal status. By April 1, 1976, it became known as National Root
Crops Research Institutes by the Agricultural Research Institute decree of 1973,
and was the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).

1.4.

MANDATE OF NRCRI, UMUDIKE

The mandates of National Root Crops Research Institute include the following;
- Research into the genetic improvement of cassava, yam, cocoyam, Irish
potato, ginger and sweet potato.
- Training of middle level manpower in agriculture leading to award of
Ordinary National Diploma/Higher National Diploma including vocational
training of farmers on specialized topics.
- Agricultural extension delivery to farmers in the south-east agro-ecological
zone in liaison with relevant Federal and State ministries and companies,
NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and other users of research
results in collaboration with the national agricultural extension research and
liaison service (NAERLS).

1.5.

AIMS OF NRCRI, UMUDIKE

The NRCRI, Umudike conducts researches on cassava, sweet potatoes, cocoyam

and other root crops of economic importance. Their aims are;
- Improvement of utilization of by-products.
- Improvement of agronomic and husbandry crops.
- Mechanization and improvement of the methods of cultivation, processing
and storage of crops.
- Multiplication of root and tuber crops through micro-propagation.
- Ecology of pests and diseases of crops and improved methods of control
through bulking rate and characterization.

1.6.

LOCATION

The institute is located 0529N, 0733E with rainforest type vegetation at about
8Km east of Umuahia/Ikot-Ekpene road. Umudike is 140Km North of PortHarcourt international airport, they occupy a total land area of 600 hectares.

1.7.

ORGANIZATION CHART AND FUNCTIONS

NRCRI is organized in such a manner as to enable it fulfill its National mandate. It

is administratively supervised by a governing board which is accountable to the
minister of agriculture and water resources. The board is responsible for policy
initiatives while the director of the institute, as chief executive is responsible for
the day to day running of the institute. The director is assisted by assistant directors
and head of division who constitute the institutes Internal Management Committee
(IMC).

CHAPTER FIVE
5.1. CONCLUSION

The SIWES program, as a way of improving the industrial and practical experience
of the students, plays a better role in the development of Nigerian undergraduates.
The program is a good innovation whose advantages can never be overemphasized.
The program carries -along with its beautiful innovations, some difficulties which
range from the deliberate refusal of the employers to neither give any form of
allowances to the students nor provide an accommodation for them, to inadequate
facilities or equipments in the establishments where the students undergo the
training. The program is therefore, a combination of learning/practical knowledge
acquisition and challenges/difficulties which help in shaping the students into
becoming productive citizens of the country.
Finally, at the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), I was posted to
different departments that were relevant to my field of study where I was taught by
efficient and resourceful personnel who never hesitated in uncovering every
relevant details and making sure that I understood all that were taught.

5.2. RECOMMENDATIONS

To the students who will be undertaking the subsequent program (IT), money
should never be your utmost priority, rather search for an establishment that offers
services relating to your course of study so as to gain the practical knowledge
required for practicing and becoming a professional.
To the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), organizing the program such that the fund
will help in the posting or deployment of students due for the program to different
establishments as relates to their course of study will help in solving a greater part
of the problem encountered during the training months.