Human Resource Inputs in Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme for Skill Acquisition in Agricultural Education Programme in Nigerian Colleges of Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the human resource inputs in Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) such as institution supervisors, SIWES coordinators, industry-based supervisors and ITF personnel for effective implementation of the programme and skill acquisition. Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skill training programme designed to expose and prepare students in Colleges of Education for the industrial work situation they are likely to meet after graduation. Growing public demand in the provision of trained and skilled indigenous manpower, needed by industry and commerce in the past two decades have made it imperative that Colleges of Education administrators pay attention to the potential impact of SIWES on skill development. The skill development and acquisition gained by the Agricultural Education students in Colleges of Education in SIWES is pivoted on human resource inputs: right placement of the students by the SIWES coordinators; effective monitoring and supervision by the institution supervisors and Industrial Training Fund (ITF) personnel and skill-acquiring training given by the industry-based supervisors. The inputs of these human resources are inevitable in skill development and acquisition in SIWES provided they are available, adequate and functional in imparting the needed training into the students. Concepts on Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), skill development and acquisition, human resource inputs needs in SIWES among others were discussed. Constraints to effective human resource inputs in enhancing skill acquisition were also highlighted. This paper concluded that the responsibilities of the human resource inputs in ensuring skill development and acquisition needed to be looked into. Thorough supervision of students on SIWES is needed for better implementation of SIWES and effective skill acquisition. Suggestions were made to this effect. Keywords: Human Resource Inputs, SIWES, Skill Acquisition, Agricultural Education Programme, Colleges of Education, Nigeria. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-16-14 Publication date:June 30th 202