Mudiame University VC Questions Effectiveness of SIWES Amid Industry Shortage
The Vice Chancellor of Mudiame University, Irrua, Professor Emmanuel Aluyor, has questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria’s Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), saying the programme is falling short of its objectives because many students are unable to secure meaningful industrial placements.
Professor Aluyor made the remarks during an interview with Justin Bem Unyi on NTA International’s special programme, “Beyond Certificate: Nigeria’s Quest for Employable Graduates,” aired during the network’s 2 p.m. News on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Responding to a question on whether SIWES, internships and industrial attachments are delivering the expected results, he said the initiative remains one of the country’s best approaches to exposing students to the realities of the workplace before graduation.
However, he argued that the programme’s success depends largely on the availability of industries capable of providing relevant hands-on training.
“It is a beautiful idea being driven by government,” Professor Aluyor said. “But the first thing that should have been done, which is to find those industries, is a major challenge.”
He questioned whether students are consistently being posted to organisations where they can apply the knowledge acquired in the classroom.
“When you send people on SIWES or industrial training, how many of them are actually going to industries where they can learn what they have been taught in school or what we want them to learn?” he asked.
According to him, practical exposure is valuable only when students are attached to organisations that operate within their disciplines and can provide relevant professional experience.
The Vice Chancellor also welcomed the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) initiative introducing a compulsory one-year internship for engineering graduates before they proceed for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He described the reform as a positive step towards strengthening professional engineering practice and compared it with the medical profession, where newly qualified doctors complete a mandatory one-year housemanship in accredited hospitals before receiving full licences to practise.
While supporting the policy, Professor Aluyor said its implementation would depend on whether enough industries exist to accommodate engineering graduates.
“The question is, considering the volume of engineering graduates in Nigeria today, where are the industries that will take those interns?” he asked.
To address the challenge, he urged government to adopt policies that encourage greater private-sector participation in student training.
According to him, industries should be required to reserve a percentage of available positions for interns, creating more opportunities for students to acquire practical experience before entering the labour market.
Professor Aluyor maintained that strengthening internship programmes requires more than educational reforms. He said expanding Nigeria’s industrial base would give students better learning opportunities, provide employers with a stronger talent pipeline and ensure that programmes such as SIWES fulfil the purpose for which they were established.
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