Assessing the Effectiveness of Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme in Enhancing Practical Skills Among Students in Federal University Oye-Ekiti

ABSTRACT

The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was introduced to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquisition among students in Nigerian universities. This study assesses the effectiveness of SIWES in enhancing practical skills among Business education students at Faculty of Education Federal University Oye- Ekiti. The research examines students' experiences, the relevance of acquired skills to their field of study, and the challenges faced during industrial training. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, type and the population for the study consisted of 207 Business Education students in 300 level who have completed their SIWES programme. The sample size of 90 students was obtained using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected from students through structured questionnaires and analyzed using statistical tools. Findings reveal that SIWES significantly contributes to students' hands-on experience, improves their employability, and enhances their technical competencies. However, challenges such as inadequate supervision, mismatch between placement and field of study, and limited access to modern equipment hinder its full potential. The study recommends improved industry-academic collaboration, better monitoring, and enhanced funding to maximize SIWES' impact. These findings contribute to the discourse on improving practical skill acquisition in Nigerian higher institutions.