RELEVANCE OF INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE TO SECRETARIAL STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

The student’s industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) Relevance to the Department of Secretarial Studies was researched upon. The instruments used was questionnaire ands this questionnaire items were used to answer the research questions. The results were collected and analyzed in the chapters that make up this study

Journals, Encyclopedia and project works of others scholars were used in the review of literature. Students of the department of secretarial studies of Institute of Management and Technology Enugu and (4) SIWES staff in Enugu were sampled and they constituted the respondents.

Based on the analysis, Major findings emerged revealing that students did receive practical work on the job training. The SIWES scheme further exposes students to proper methods of using and handling secretarial equipments and development.

However, the study concluded that if students are adequately exposed to research materials and facilities, if students are provided with thorough and proper supervision by supervisors, if orientation towards equipment and machinery handling was well fashioned out, there will necessary be an upsurge in  performance rates

Therefore, the researcher recommends that following

That employers ought to accept students supervisors need to be attached to individuals students. Students should be allowed to express and get themselves exposed to secretarial practices in order to acquire a deeper re-orientation before the commencement of the programme if adequate performance is to be guaranteed

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE1.0              Introduction

1.1       Background of the study

1.2              Statement of the problem

1.3              Need for study

1.4              Significance of the study

1.5              Scope and limitation of the study

1.6              Research proportion

CHAPTER TWO2.0              Literature Review

2.1       SIWES as a means of practical on the job training

2.2              Providing indigenous manpower through SIWES

2.3              SIWES and students experience of practical knowledge in the use of machines and equipments.

2.4              SIWES relevance of the department of secretarial studies.

2.5              Summary of related literature

CHAPTER THREE3.0              Design of the study

3.1       Population for the study

3.2              Sample size

3.3              Development of research material

3.4              Questionnaire Design

3.5              Research procedure

3.6              Treatment of data

CHAPTER FOUR4.0              Analysis and presentation of data

4.1       Analysis of questionnaire responses

4.2              Analysis of questionnaire responses from the SIWES

CHPAPTER FIVE5.0              Summary of findings, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1       Summary of findings

5.2              Conclusions

5.3              Recommendations

References

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0              INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The student’s industrial work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a programme designed to expose and prepare students in the institutions of Higher Learning for the Industrial work situation, how to relate to God and how to manage oneself. These they are likely to meet after graduation.

The scheme affords students the opportunity of seeing familiarized and exposed to the needed experience in handling of machinery and equipment which are usually not available in the educational institutions.

Furthermore, the scheme exposes the students to work methods and prepare them in safeguarding the work area and other workers in the industry.

SIWES was introduced by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Nigeria in (1973) about 31 years ago. It was then limited to students of technology. Today it has covered many disciplines and has  become a necessary recognition for the award of national diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in polytechnics in the country.

A center focus of the scheme is to enlist and strengthen  employers involvement in the educational process of preparing students for the worlds of work. The scheme is therefore aimed at promoting the much-desired technological know-how ultimate goal of the scheme force needed to build a self-reliance economy.

The following are SIWES relevance to secretarial studies.

It provides opportunity for the researcher and co-students to gain experiences as a supplement to their students by this, the researcher’s writing in this project will be supervised by the supervisor who helps to direct on how to carry out any given task.

It affords students the opportunity of being familiarized and exposed to the needed experience in secretarial studies.

It exposes the researcher/students to real life situation thus supplementing the theoretical lessons in the classroom.

It helps students to be acquainted to what nature of job they are likely to meet at the labor market.

It broader the knowledge and understanding of the students in terms of each person to know more

It is to prepare the researcher the participating students for better future use of their hand s and brain.

It helps students to gather more information for difficult issues.

It is one of the most task to take before graduating as a national diploma holder before enrolling for higher national diploma

As a problems facing the department and a solution to it is to relate it to the people in charge for better result in due time for the life wire of secretarial; studies.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

It has been observed that some students have some misconception about the work experience programme of the I.T.F. some students for example, equate the programmer with holidays job. Hence the commitment is lacking and so the skills and experience to be gained cannot be acquired from the scheme.

Again there is relevance among large number of employers to accept and provide facilities necessary for meaningful industrial experience to students. The fears of many employers are that students are inexperienced to handle certain delicate machines and tools without damaging them. A situation in which students are not allowed to use certain equipment does not provide the desired experience needed to prepare them for the world of work.

Also some students are not supervised during the attachments or training period at all. This is attributable to lack of adequate transportation facilities and or lack of seriousness on the part of their supervisors.

1.3       PURPOSE OF STUDY

The need of this study which was carried out and conducted in the department of secretarial studies. Institute of management and technology in 2004/2005 is to determine that it is of relevance to students to participate fully during their industrial work experience scheme. The researcher also wants to have an empirical base not to support all the sources about the poor impression students have on the industrial work experience scheme. Students must learn to think about themselves not as just a student, but as a product of oneself and doing the things which will make people to want deal with them. Do students of secretarial studies really know their works, and are they wooing secretarial studies as mere woo girks they fancy or love

If my findings are not valid, I would say there are no bases for the SIWES, but that it arise because students ought to do well in their discipline.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

From the need for study it was assumed that the scheme is completely different from ordinary long vocation employment of the undergraduate. It is a continuation of the students studies.

SIWES as a t the time of its inception was limited to students of Engineering and Technology only. But today it covers many disciplines because of its relevance to technological and economic development. The scheme has succeeded in establishing a closer collaboration between institutions and industries which is essential for preparing young people skillfully for the world of work.

It helps to prepare students to fit in, readily to employment industries and commerce. Students no becomes exposed to real life situation, thus supplementing the theoretical lessons in the classroom. The research will also try to make the industrial training fund realize the existence of the department of secretarial studies and to include them in the eligible course for which SIWES and industrial training fund were compulsorily and centrally funded. This is because secretary-ship is one of the professional courses which its advantages cannot be over emphasized.

The study will also serve as useful information to any person who wants to research on related issues.

1.5       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study covers students industrial work experience scheme relevance to the secretarial studies department.

The institution of management and technology (IMT) Enugu was studied and no attempt was made to study any other department in any other institution involved in the scheme.

1.7       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do students that participate in SIWES programmer receive enough practical from the programme
2. Do students participating in SIWES gain insight into the industrial operations.
3. In SIWES helping in generating a pool of indigenous trained manpower needed in the country
4. Does SIWES help to expose students to methods of handling equipments and machinery
5. Do the students gain supervised experience in industries through SIWES.