ATTITUDES OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS TOWARDS STUDENTS’ INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERICENCE SCHEME (SIWES)

Background to the Study: Attitude as a concept is concerned with individuals’ way of thinking, acting, and behaving. Attitudes are formed as a result of some kind of learning experiences. Attitude is fundamental to understanding social perception of people because they strongly influence people. Ojo (2000) said that it is the disposition of men to view things in a certain way and to act accordingly. This notion of attitude however, could be said to have propelled students who gain admission into universities to have preference for a particular course of study. Furthermore, some students still hold divergent views based on their attitudinal disposition to the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), which motivate them towards the studying of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) in tertiary institutions.

According to Akerele (2007) the  present  state  of  technological  development  in  Nigeria  calls  for  appropriate  orientations  towards technological and vocational education as a springboard for skills acquisition. The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) (2004) in her national policy on education defined technical and vocational education as acquisition of demonstrable skills that could be transformed into economic benefits. It also refers to those aspects of education process  involving  general  education,  the  study  of  technologies,  science  and  acquisition  of  practical  knowledge and skills.

Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is defined as a skill training programme that is designed to expose and prepare students of education, agriculture, engineering & technology, environmental sciences, natural science, medical science and pure applied science for the industrial work situation.