The difference between a good SIWES internship and a great one lies in how you approach it. Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skills training program designed to prepare and expose students to the industrial work situations they are likely to meet after graduation. The scheme helps students familiarize themselves with tools, machines, and the practice of the industry.
However, just showing up for SIWES is not enough. It is important to have the right mindset, preparation, and strategies to approach it. If you’re looking for SIWES tips for STEM students, this article will serve as your complete STEM students SIWES guide.
It is crucial to approach SIWES with the right mindset because this scheme will stand as the foundation for your next step after graduation—whether you’re going straight for your master’s degree or entering the workforce. SIWES has a role to play in helping you decide what’s next.
One of the challenges that bothers students is the lack of exposure in choosing the right workplace or company for their industrial training. SIWES challenges and solutions like this are common. It is advisable to have your SIWES program in a company closely related to your area of study. A student studying mechanical engineering shouldn’t be doing SIWES in a road construction company serving as a civil engineering intern. This will limit your exposure in your core field and reduce the chances of gaining practical skills during SIWES.
Choosing the right placement is a critical part of SIWES internship preparation. If you’re finding it difficult to get a placement, visit the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) SIWES portal (https://www.siwes.itf.gov.ng/Identity/LandingPage/home). You can view a list of employers affiliated with ITF and even request for a SIWES attachment (https://www.siwes.itf.gov.ng/Identity/LandingPage/studentRequest).
Before you begin, have a clear learning objective and goals. Making the most of SIWES starts with a plan. If you don’t have a goal, you’ll likely spend your time in the industry without gaining much. Set expectations for what you’d like to achieve during your SIWES period. Clear goals help you track SIWES learning outcomes effectively.
During your SIWES, don’t be the lazy intern who runs away from tasks. Get involved in projects and daily tasks. These activities deepen your SIWES workplace experience and are essential to understanding real-world applications of your coursework. SIWES benefits for STEM students include exposure to real equipment, industry software, teamwork, and professional ethics.
Always keep learning. Learn to operate machines, use industry-relevant software, and ask questions. “The man who stops learning is as good as dead.” The more you engage, the more competent you become. This approach will help you improve your SIWES problem-solving skills and might even help you discover a challenge worth turning into your final-year project.
Remember that company policies are different from school rules. SIWES health and safety tips are essential. Know your company’s policies and their environmental management systems. Understand their safety culture, especially if you’re working around machines or in production areas. Quality control in SIWES settings also plays a big role, and it’s good to understand how it’s practiced in your company.
The institution that set up SIWES for you provided a logbook to document your daily activities and what you’ve learned. A good tip is to use a diary for initial notes before copying into your logbook to avoid mistakes. This is part of smart SIWES project documentation. Keep your logbook neat and include diagrams and relevant pictures. This habit supports smooth SIWES report writing later.
Facing challenges during your internship? Don’t keep mute. Talk to your supervisor or whoever is in charge. This builds your communication skills and is one of the most important soft skills in the workplace. If you’ll be absent from work, inform your supervisor. This isn’t a school where you can skip classes casually—it’s real industry life.
At the end of your internship, you’ll be expected to compile your experience into a report. This is where SIWES report writing tips come in handy. Your SIWES report structure should include the company’s background, your activities, challenges faced, and your SIWES recommendations and conclusions. This is also where your experience with how to write a SIWES technical report becomes valuable. Always stick to your school’s report format and don’t include anything you can’t defend. Add references where necessary.
All of these experiences—hands-on tasks, report writing, networking—help you view your coursework from a new perspective. SIWES benefits for STEM students go beyond skills; they enhance academic performance by clarifying theoretical concepts through real-world application. SIWES also helps you grow your professional network. Engineers, technicians, and supervisors you work with can become mentors and referees.
To help you better prepare for life after SIWES, we recommend watching our YouTube podcast episode on navigating the Nigerian job market. In this episode, we share actionable advice for fresh graduates, tips on standing out in job applications, and how to position yourself for success in today’s competitive job landscape. (https://youtu.be/Kok92eJwUvM?si=4HejevvSQgM5U7WT).
If you’re not sure how to build these relationships, check out our article on “Networking for engineers: How to build relationships and advance your career” (https://alotimeys.com.ng/networking-for-engineers/.)
In conclusion, make the most of your SIWES by choosing an industry aligned with your field of study, learning the tools of the trade, and immersing yourself in the work. Whether it’s SIWES internship preparation, handling SIWES challenges and solutions, or writing your report, approach everything with seriousness and passion. The experience will shape not just your knowledge but your career path.
