A TECHNICAL REPORT ON STUDENT’S INDUSTRIAL WORK

EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)

WRITTEN BY
RUKAYYA AKILU MUKHTAR
NARC/18/24062

SUBMITTED TO
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
NUHU BAMALLI POLYTECHNIC, ZARIA

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF NATIONAL

I, RUKAYYA AKILU MUKHTAR, solemnly declare that this report is written by me and that

all information contained in this report is based on my experience during the attachment at BM

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Consult, Kaduna State. That other information there in is collected from the concerned bodies of

SIWES program and BM, Consult. That this report has not been presented in any institution.

_________________________ _______________ _______________

Malam, Abubakar Abdullahi Signature Date

SIWES Supervisor

_________________________ _______________ _______________

Malam, Lukman Mu’azu Signature Date

SIWES Coordinator

_________________________ _______________ _______________

Arc. Zaki Blessed Signature Date

Head of Department

ABSTRACT

This work as portrayed by the title contains the summary of my SIWES exercise undertaken at

Physical planning and municipal service Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. The First Chapter

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contains the General Introduction, brief History of ITF and the Aims & Objectives of SIWES.

The Second Chapter contains the brief history of the Physical planning and Municipal Service

Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and Services rendered. The third chapter contains the summary

of experience gained. And the fourth chapter contains the Conclusions and Recommendations.

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 CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a Skills Training Program

designed to expose and prepare students of Universities, Polytechnics/Colleges of

Technology/Colleges of Agriculture and Colleges of Education for the Industrial Work situation

they are likely to meet after graduation. The scheme also affords students the opportunity of

familiarizing and exposing themselves to the needed experience in handling equipment and

machinery that are usually not available in their Institutions. The Scheme exposes students to

industry based skills necessary for a smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work.

Hence participation in Industrial Training is a well-known educational strategy, as classroom

studies are integrated with learning through hands-on work experiences in a field related to the

student’s academic major and career goals. Successful internship does not only promote career

preparation but provides opportunities for learners to develop skills necessary to become leaders

in their chosen professions.

At inception, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) solely funded the scheme during its formative

years. But as the financial involvement became unbearable to the Fund, it withdrew from the

Scheme in 1978. The Federal Government handed over the scheme in 1979 to both the National

Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Later

the Federal Government in November 1984 reverted the management and implementation of the

SIWES Programme to ITF and it was effectively taken over by the Industrial Training Fund in

July 1985 with the funding being solely borne by the Federal Government.

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1.2 AIMS OF SIWES

The student Industrial Work Experience Scheme is aimed at exposing student to professional

work methods which will eventually prepare the student for practice after graduation.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF SIWES

Specifically, the objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are to:

 To provide an avenue for students in Nigerian universities to acquire skills and

experience in their various fields of study

 To prepare students for work situations they may likely meet after graduation.

 To enable students, appreciate the knowledge gained through their years of education and

expose them to those areas that may require extra knowledge.

 The scheme counts as work experience and when a student partakes in the SIWES I and

SIWES II they count as one-year work experience when one seeks employment

 The scheme gives opportunity to companies to shape their future workers to their taste,

this saves them the expenses of training their employers after employment.

 The scheme provides opportunities to students to establish contacts in the companies they

did their IT should they come to look for work in those companies.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Brief History of the Department

Physical planning and municipal services department formerly known as Estate

Department was created as far back as 1960 to provide in house engineering and technical

services to all infrastructure within the university. The department is as old as the university and

has gone through numerous changes. From inception, the department was broken into two:

capital planning unit and maintenance unit.

In the year 1992-1997, estate department was split into two department: maintenance and service

department.

Between the years 1997-2000 estate department was headed by two consecutive acting directors

under maintenance and services and then physical planning units. While the other department

was the physical planning department headed by a director and a deputy director.

The expiration of the tenure of the acting director, estate management consultant were

appointed immediately for a period. The consultants having concluded their contract and

summited final report covering from July, 2006 – May, 2007 saw the recruitment of new staff

including the director who was recommended and appointed to steer the reign of leadership with

both physical planning and municipal services under his supervision. The units are headed by

chief engineer municipal services (CEMS), chief physical planning and development officer

(CPPDO) respectively.

The municipal services unit comprises of housing, academics, waterworks and bulk

metering maintenance and services sub units. The physical planning is responsible for space

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allocation and new physical development within the university. These changes saw the

department gaining back its lost glory to reflect it provisional duties.

2.2 Objectives of the Department

Providing in housing engineering and technical services to all infrastructures within the

university community is the main purpose of establishing Estate Department. In line with

providing physical planning and development within the university’s campuses.

2.3 Functions of the Department

i. Maintaining all university infrastructures such as Academic Buildings, Administration,

other services Buildings, Staff Houses and Students Hostels.

ii. Providing essential service such as Water Supply, Power (Electricity) and Tele

Communication.

iii. Constructing and maintaining access roads within the campuses

iv. Designing and supervising of capital projects.

v. Updating all university physical planning and implementation.

vi. Providing transport services for the university’s activities, field trips for Academics

curriculum and student’s excursions etc.

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 CHAPTER THREE

DESCRIPTION OF WORK DONE DURING THE FOUR MONTH ATTACHMENT IN

THE FIRM

EXPERIENCE GAINED

During the period of attachment at Physical planning and municipal service Ahmadu Bello

University Zaria I was exposed to quite a number of activities and I also participated in most of

the site activities.

Site work

3.1 PRELIMINARY SITE ACTIVITIES

The preliminaries site is: When a builder takes possession of a building site, he it usually

provided with a site lay-out plan and the drainages necessary for the erection of the building.

Having taken over the site, the task of preparing for and setting out the building can be started.

Taking over the site includes having the providing access road to the site to allow the movement

men, machines and materials to the site.

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3.1.1 Site Activities that Precede Actual Building Construction

The following activities precede actual building construction on site

a. Provision of access road

b. Site clearance

c. Provision of site offices and storage facilities

d. Provision of site services

3.1.2 Site Clearance

The preliminary works on a construction project site usually begin after the sit facilities have

been set up. Clearing the site is essential. First, the vegetation such as bushes and shrubs should

be removed. The roots of trees and bushes must be dug out and cleared away.

Site clearance also may involve the demolition of existing buildings. Demolition is a skilled

occupation and should be tackled by experts in that area.

3.1.3 Provision of Facilities on Site

A well-managed site should have facilities and services which will make the site functional and

convenient. On a building construction site, the following facilities and services should be

provided.

3.1.4 Temporary services

These include the provision of such services as water supply and, electricity supply. Water is

required on construction site for drinking and for the works. Where the site is close to the public

water mains, the water can be connected directly from the public water mains to the site. The

stand pipe should be located close to where the mixing of concrete and mortar will take place.

Where the site is far from the public water mains, water can be supplied to the site with use of

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water tankers. The water can be stored in reservoir provided on the site for such a purpose

especially for the works.

3.1.5 Electricity Supply

An electrical supply for power tools, electricity can be supplied from the mains or a petrol

generator.

3.1.6 Telephone Line Supply

A telephone line should be provided which is secured so that it can only be used for official or

authorized calls.

3.1.7 Temporary access road

This should be provided to the site for the purpose of providing access to vehicular traffic that

will be bringing men and materials to the site. The access should be constructed so that vehicles

can enter the site in all weather. The access road can become part of the permanent site services

in the final design.

3.1.8 Site accommodation

A site should have an office and sheds for the workers on site to change their clothes and to take

rest on site during breaks from work and also have their meals.

Site accommodation and similar facilities provided on a site depends on the number of people

that are working on the site.

Units of accommodation come usually in two forms

• Sectional timber huts

• Mobile caravans or cabins

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3.1.9 Material Storage

The type of storage facilities required on a construction site for any material depends on the

following factors

 Durability i.e. whether it will need protection from the elements

 Vulnerability to damage

 Vulnerability to theft

Site Diagram

3.2 SETTING OUT OF BUILDING

This is the transfer of information on the building drawing to the ground with high degree of

accuracy. When the site clearance is completed the setting out of the work may begin. It is

necessary to have a good knowledge of geometry in order to ensure accurate work. The first

tasked in setting out a building is to establish a base line from which the whole of the building

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can be set out. The position of this line must be marks on site so that it can be re-established at

any time. The building line is frequently determined by the highway authority and in urban areas

it is often 8m from the back of the public foot path. If other buildings have been erected at the

area the building line can be determined from these existing buildings.

3.2.1 Setting out Equipment

Measuring tape: before setting out any work the tape would be carefully checked for accuracy.

Metallic lines tapes tend to stretch after they have been in use for sometime. The tape is to mark

the measurement on the profiles. It should be ensured that each measurement is taken from the

extended ring at the end of the tape.

Profiles: When setting out a building, it is an advantage if the line can be secured so that they are

well clear of the building line. The trenches can then be dug without interfering with the lines.

Timber profiles erected for this purpose consist of pegs driven into the ground and boards nailed

across them. The lines can then be stretched above the ground level well clear of any obstruction

and may easily be checked for accuracy.

Datum Pegs: Before starting the actual setting out of the building, it is essential to establish a

level on the site to which references pertaining to the levels of elements of work may be made in

the course of executing the work.

3.2.2 Methods of Setting out a Building

There are three methods of setting out on small building sites. These are

• Using 3, 4, 5 method

• Using the builder’s square

• Using the theodolite

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Three Method Diagram

3.3 EXCAVATION

Excavation is done to receive the foundation that will be constructed for a building. This is done

after the setting out and marking out.

3.3.1 Methods of Excavation

Excavation can be done using two methods:

• Manual method and

• Mechanical method

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The choice of the method of excavation depends on the size of work. In small construction, it is

more economical to use the manual method, while large works will be economical to be executed

using the mechanical method of excavation.

3.3.2 Tools Used in Manual Method of Excavation

The manual method of excavation involves the use of the following tools

a. pick-axes used to dig up the soil

b. shovels to remove the dug up soil

c. spades to level the bottom of the excavation and to load into the wheelbarrow,

d. Wheelbarrows to convey the excavated soil away from the excavation area.

3.3.3 Equipment Used in Mechanical Excavation

The mechanical method of excavation involves the use of mechanical plants which are capable

of doing more than one task. Examples of these are as follows:

a. Bulldozer: This is used to push the soil layer by layer to one side and pile it up nearby. A

bulldozer does not dig out or lift out the soil.

b. Backacter: This equipment digs down with a bucket on a jointed boom and scoops the soil

towards itself. Since the bucket is narrow it is useful for forming trenches. It can also

deposit soil on trucks or Dumpers.

c. Mechanical Auger: This digs pile holes. It is a large piece of equipment which has a large

drill mounted on a platform. The auger drills a hole in the ground and lifts out a column of

soil.

d. Dump Truck: Used for the movement of soil over short distances. The body of the dump

truck tips forward and deposits the soil in the required position.

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 e. Tipper Truck: This is a road vehicle used to remove large amounts of excavated materials

to locations away from the site. The body of the tipper truck tips up and empties the soil at

the back of the vehicle.

The Excavation Tools Diagram

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 CHAPTER FOUR

CHALLENGES/PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

4.1 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

The difficulties encountered during the exercise are as follows:

o Most professionals (Like structural, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) do not give

detailed drawings for smooth take-off.

o Measurement of complex building/designs were not taught in the classroom

o Frequent change in design after the work has been measured.

o Inappropriate use of legend for electrical works.

4.2 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

o The contractors should duly inform the consultant before going for alternate building

materials in the absent of approved materials.

o All professionals should dedicate themselves in their profession by providing detailed

structural, Electrical and mechanical drawings.

o The final client decision should be reached before the production of working drawing.

o The services engineer should check their legend and make sure what is represented on

drawing are found on their legend.

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4.3 CONCLUSION

Extensive industrial training is the expedite prerequisite for robust industrial capacity building

for better human resources development. From my experience, the benefits or importance of

industrial training scheme cannot be over emphasized despite its benefits and technical

inadequacies, it has been able to bridge the void between practical and theoretical knowledge.

4.4 RECOMMENDATIONS

Considering the experiences in the course of the SIWES training, it is hereby recommended that:

i. The services engineer should check their legend and make sure what is represented on

drawing are found on their legend.

ii. The department should make provision for special printed materials like

contract conditions, BOQ, Article of Agreement for students’ perusal before going for

IT.

iii. The Educational Institutes should make sure that Students sent from them for the SIWES

Program are Placed, Trained, Supervised and Acknowledged under the same Department

of their Studies.

iv. Design team should improve on detailed drawings so as to ease the work of quantity

surveyors.

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