How do I apply for SIWES placement in Nigeria? Where can I really do my industrial training in Nigeria this year?
These are probably some questions you’ve been asking and awaiting answers, because you’re expected by your school/department to soon begin your compulsory industrial training and you really don’t know what to do or how to go about it.
Most Nigerian industrial training students usually encounter difficulties in securing placement in Nigeria, because of one reason or another.
You don’t need to worry, because today, you’ll learn all about SIWES industrial training in Nigeria and the key steps to take during your application.
Industrial training refers to a program which aims to provide supervised practical training within a specified time frame.
This industrial training can be carried out either in government organizations or in the private sector.
The industrial training program provides opportunities for exposure to the working world, which will make graduates more aware of the hopes and expectations that industry has of them.
The program will also equip students with actual work experience.
Placing students in industries increases their chances of employment after graduation, as there is a strong possibility that it will offer them a job in the same place where they undergo their training.
Apart from this, the industrial training experience will further solidify the on-campus learning process and activities, while also providing students with relevant work experience.
As the period for your industrial training draws nearer, ensure to make adequate plans and preparations.
Once the time for payment reaches, you’ll either be notified by your school, department or fellow students of the exact venue or office for the registration, stamping, signing, and collection of your receipts, forms and logbook.
The period of payment and logbook collection usually used to be stressful – although this differs among schools and students.
That’s why it’s always advisable for you as an industrial training student trying to secure possible placement in Nigeria this year, to make payments early and collect your receipts, forms and logbook.
Once you collect your logbook, it usually comes with these two (2) important SIWES forms .
Ensure to keep your receipts, forms and logbook in a neat and safe place, because if they should get lost, stolen or damaged, it would be quite hard for you to get new ones.
Before I get into the core of this post, I’d like to tell you to grab some coffee or tea.
This is quite a long post and if you’re really serious about getting placement soon in Nigeria this year, you’ll definitely read to the end.
Also, you might as well share with your friends and course mates if you find it interesting.
Are you set? Let’s go!
After the payments and collection of your receipts, forms and logbook, it’s now time for you to write and forward your application letters to your desired firms for training.
But before doing that, it will be very essential for you to note down the following important tips.
The SIWES Application Letter, also known as Industrial Training Application Letter, is a formal letter written and sent by Nigerian internship students to their desired course-related firms, stating their aim to undergo their industrial training for a stipulated period in the firm.
This application letter is sometimes prepared and issued by most Nigerian higher institutions to their I.T students.
So, all that the students have to do is to make photocopies and enter their basic details such as Name, Department, Matriculation or Registration Number in the letter sample and forward to their desired course-related firms for training.
Below is my own SIWES application letter that was given to me by my school (IMSU).
So, all I had to do was to make photocopies, enter my basic details, visit and submit to my desired course-related companies.
If you weren’t given SIWES letter by your school or you wish to write yours, instead of using your school’s own, then here are some of the basic qualities your application letter must possess, in order for your request to be easily granted and accepted by the firms you are applying for your training:
1. Course-To-Firm Relationship
While securing placement in Nigeria, most students repeatedly make this huge mistake of applying for their training in firms, organizations, or companies that aren’t related to their course of study in school.
I’ll give you a simple example.
For instance, as a biochemistry student of IMSU, I applied and did my industrial training in a private hospital in Owerri. I learnt and conducted various medical laboratory tests such as PCV, Glucose Test, Blood Grouping etc. on patients, which are all related to my course of study and future career.
It would had been very wrong for me to had applied for my training in, let’s say: A Construction Company (e.g. Julius Berger), Financial Institutions (Banks), Media Houses (N.T.A), Computer Training Centres, Mechanic Workshops etc., because they were not related to my course of study in school (Biochemistry).
Because you know or have someone working in a particular firm(s), doesn’t mean you should apply for your industrial training there.
If you must apply – ensure that the firm(s) is actually related to your course of study in school.
If you should undergo your training in a firm or establishment that isn’t related to your of study in school, you’ll be awarded a poor grade, because there is a mark awarded for course-to-firm relationship.
How to Know and Determine Course-Related Firms for Your Training in Nigeria
Before applying for training in any firm(s), sincerely ask yourself these few questions:
Can I work here in the future with my degree/certificate?
The activities, jobs, projects carried out and products produced by the firm(s), are they in any way related to the courses, topics I’m being taught in school?
If, after asking yourself these important questions and you are still confused or dissatisfied, try approaching your departmental lecturers and/or senior colleagues for advice or recommendations.
2. SIWES Payment By Firms
Not all companies pay their interns.
There is usually no payment for some students.
I wasn’t being paid during my training.
You should always have this in mind when securing placement, so as not to later get disappointed if you aren’t being paid by your place of attachment.
However, don’t lose out on other available course-related firms during your search all because you’re hell bent on getting firms that pays it interns.
Also, think about the essential knowledge and experience you’ll gain, which will aid and guide you in your future goals, aspirations and career.
Remember that time waits for no one!
3. Location
The geographical area of the firms you’re applying for your industrial training matters a lot, so you may likely have to note this when applying for training in Nigeria.
For example, let’s say you’re an IMSU student wanting to undergo your training in Lagos.
You’re expected to note down certain things such as:
4. Stability
You may also have to know and consider the economic, social, weather condition of the state or place you’re applying for your training in Nigeria.
No student would prefer to do his/her training in a state where they’re crises such as armed robbery, road accidents, kidnapping, flooding.
Because I would go for industrial training doesn’t mean that I should come and go and kill myself!
Life is very important.
5. Firm Reputation
When securing placement in Nigeria, also try to ensure that your desired course-related firms for your industrial training have “Reputation”.
What do I really mean by reputation?
By saying Reputation, I simply mean that the firms you’re applying for your training should at least be recognized and possibly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria .
During my industrial training days, a female course mate of mine was actually defrauded by a fake and non-existent pharmaceutical company (individuals), who claimed to be accepting students for training provided they pay a certain amount of money.
Unfortunately, they weren’t caught.
Her hard-earned money went just like that.
This incident affected her grade and performance, as she started her training late.
Had she known! Please, learn from her mistake.
6. Policies
There are certain situations or occurrences in the firms, and country which might partially or fully affect your industrial training and you must have to really take note when applying for your training this year in Nigeria.
Some companies work on Saturdays and Sundays. “Are you ready and prepared?” Note this.
Some companies (private) also work on public holidays.
If a strike should probably occur in the country, it may affect you as an I.T student e.g. If public health workers in Federal Medical Center’s (F.M.C), should probably embark on strike, it will probably affect students who applied or are undergoing their training there.
When banks go on strike, it may also affect students undergoing their training there.
If public institutions in Nigeria should also embark on strike, it may also affect students undergoing their training there.
If the strike should eventually be called off, your course mates probably working in other private establishments might have already gone far in their own training.
Some companies in Nigeria organize interviews and tests for students applying for training in order to access and determine their abilities and capabilities before acceptance.
So, note this and be prepared for the test, interview or examination – if it is actually done by the companies you’re applying for your training.
At this stage, I’ll be introducing to you a key strategy I term “Multi-Forwarding”.
What is Multi-Forwarding?
Multi-Forwarding simply means the writing and forwarding of your application letters to over one course-related firm for your industrial training.
For instance, when securing SIWES placement during my own time, I applied for my training in 3 Biochemistry related companies, namely:
The private hospital and brewery only accepted my application, although I was earlier informed that I shouldn’t expect to be paid.
I finally settled for the private hospital, because my cost of transportation was lesser.
I spent ₦200 daily, unlike the brewery company, where I would have spent up to ₦700 daily, because it was really far from my location.
I was lucky in securing a reputable place for my training, although I wasn’t paid.
Assuming I had put all my hope, and only applied for my training in the pharmaceutical company that rejected me, “What would have been my fate?”
While securing placement in Nigeria, if you should apply for your training, let’s say in five (5) or more similar or different firms related to your course of study, there’s no how one or more won’t accept you for training, so far as:
You need to have photocopies of your:
Your application letters can be sent through:
When applying for your training in Nigeria, you can try to get the correct email addresses of the companies you wish to undergo your training and send your letter(s) online.
Also, you may try visiting the locations of the companies and submit your application letters to either the secretary, job application units, or the employer in charge.
Sending your letters online through email has a major disadvantage, which is: your letters might not get read or replied by the companies.
Instead, it’s advisable for you to visit the location of your desired firms and submit your letter and then wait for a reply.
After the submission of your application letter and/or C.V, and successful interview or test, you may be told to start work immediately, the next day or week.
You may not even get a reply or positive feedback from the company at all. It depends!
That’s why when securing placement in Nigeria, it is always good to apply in over one course-related company to avoid stories that touch. This is important advice for future participants.
In April 2018, I applied for my industrial training in a private hospital in Owerri on a Friday.
The Chief Medical Director interviewed me (asked a few intelligent questions which I answered correctly), and finally told to begin my training on Monday, the next week.
Some firms accept only one student. I was the only I.T student at my workplace.
It usually depends on the company’s size, number of operations, and labour needed.
Some firm’s also accept up to 200+ students per session, just like a pharmaceutical company I know in Owerri, where there is a division of labour.
There are sections in the company for students of Microbiology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Botany, Nutrition and Dietetics, Food Science and Technology, Animal and Environmental Biology, Engineering to work in.
In conclusion, writing and forwarding your application letters to course-related firms for training is very important when securing SIWES placement in Nigeria.
I hope you find this post useful.
