By, Ezechie Awele- The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has warned organisations and employers nationwide against rejecting students seeking attachment for their Industrial Training (IT) exercises.
ITF Area Manager in Bauchi, Dr Ashore Paul, issued the warning on Thursday during the orientation exercise for prospective IT students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.
It was represented by Mrs Nanzem Yilshuut, which is the Head of Training at the ITF Bauchi Area Office, Dr Ashore Paul stated that “the act establishing the Fund mandates every organisation to accept students for industrial attachment”.
He then further stated that any employer or organisations found disobeying there’s provisions was liable to conviction and sanctions. Dr Paul also urged the prospective IT to follow the rules and regulations of any organisation they pleased to join and to also be willing to learn and fulfil their responsibilities.
“When these students come back, we expect that there is a difference. “They should have learned something new because, definitely, what they learned in school would be expected to be put into practice. “This will help them in their academics and also assist them in their future endeavours. “They must participate 100 per cent, they must be disciplined and they must be willing to learn.
“We go round to ensure that they are doing what they are expected to do at their places of attachment. “When we go for supervision, we ensure that what they are learning is in line with their courses,” Dr Paul stated.
The Leader of the institution, Sani Usman, stated that the industrial attachment was an activity that helped enable Polytechnics to fulfil their directive as technology and skill driven institutions.
“Our students are given industrial experience during their first year to register in their minds that all of them are meant to be skilled class men and women, and that is why the industrial attachment is very important”. “It so enables them to build on what they have learned in their respective classrooms and practical’s during the year”, Mr Sani stated.
Mr Sani Usman emphasised the importance of proper supervision during industrial training, According to him it will ensure students not to only attend their placements but also carry out their assigned tasks effectively.
“The supervision is also to see that the employers or the places they have been sent to do their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) do not exploit them to the level that is not required by the institution”, he stated.
He then further revealed that that 3000 students across alldepartments at the institution were all participating in this year’s SIWES Programme.
