Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has tasked tertiary institutions in the country to equip engineering students with practical skills to ensure skilled manpower that would facilitate the country’s quest for technological development.
National President of the group, Dr Babagana Muhammad, who was on working visit in Gombe, made the call in an interview with the newsmen on Saturday. He noted tertiary institutions are key to providing qualified manpower for industries to enhance the economic and other development of the country.
‘Ordinarily, it is academia that’s supposed to provide qualified manpower to the industries in order to fast track the nation’s economic development. However, we understand that there is a mismatch between the academia and the industries, Muhammad said, adding that ‘people criticize graduate for not performing well, while the problem is not from the graduate but the institutions which have failed to identify the kind of skills that would enable them to work in the industries.
‘What the graduates learn while in the school are often different from what is in the field; in school he was taught the theoretical aspect while in the field he might be given spinner or other tools to work. For this, institutions need to look at the industries so as to train the undergraduate base on the requirements needed in the field,’ Dr Mohammed explained.