Stakeholders in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have called for stronger collaboration among tertiary institutions, industries and government to equip Nigerian graduates with practical skills for industrial development and global competitiveness.
They made the call at the second hybrid International Engineering Conference organised by the School of Engineering Technology, Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH), Igbesa on Wednesday.
The conference is with the theme: “Repositioning Engineering TVET for Industrial Development and Global Competitiveness in Nigeria”.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Kazeem Adebiyi of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, described engineering TVET as a bridge between scientific knowledge and tangible products.
Adebiyi said Nigeria needed to move from a certificate-driven education system to one focused on competence, innovation and practical skills.
He identified inadequate industry-academia collaboration, outdated curricula and ineffective teaching methods as some of the challenges confronting the country’s TVET system.
He advocated industry-driven curricula that reflected the needs of the industrial sector, urging institutions to establish stronger partnerships with businesses to enhance students’ practical experience.
The professor identified Igbesa’s industrial environment as an advantage OGITECH should exploit, given the presence of several manufacturing companies in the area.
He also urged the institution to engage the informal sector in promoting skills acquisition and economic development.
Adebiyi identified competence, collaboration, curriculum development and continuous faculty training as critical areas requiring attention to reposition engineering education.
The keynote speaker advised students against relying solely on academic certificates to secure employment, urging them to embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and continuous skills development.
Also speaking, the lead speaker and former Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, Mr Taofiq Abdul-Hameed, said Nigeria’s industrial development depended on effective partnerships among polytechnics, industries and government.
Abdul-Hameed identified poor policy implementation, inadequate government funding and weaknesses in accreditation processes as some of the challenges confronting technical education.
He also expressed concern over alleged irregularities in their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), saying some students obtained training records without undergoing the required industrial experience.
He urged regulatory agencies to strengthen monitoring and ensure that institutions met the required standards before granting accreditation.
In his remarks, the Rector of OGITECH, Dr Abiodun Oluseye, said the institution had made deliberate efforts to strengthen its academic environment through conferences, seminars, workshops and annual academic lectures.
Oluseye said he introduced the initiative three years ago after observing that academic activities of such nature were inadequate in the institution.
The rector added that the institution’s development agenda went beyond infrastructure and technical skills acquisition to include the intellectual and professional growth of students and staff.
Earlier, the Dean of the School of Engineering Technology, Dr Dauda Folarin, said the conference was organised to demonstrate the institution’s commitment to TVET and promote collaboration with industries.
He said the conference provided an opportunity to showcase innovative products developed by students and staff, urging industries to recognise locally developed solutions and partner with academic institutions.
