Engineering council seeks compulsory pre-NYSC residency programme

On Wednesday, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) called for the resuscitation of the compulsory residency programme for engineering graduates before going to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, made this known on Wednesday at a news conference on the 32nd COREN Engineering Assembly scheduled to hold on Aug.5th to 7th in Abuja.

Abubakar said that the move for the compulsory residency was aimed at strengthening engineering practises in Nigeria as well as making graduates employable.

He said that the COREN was established as a statutory body with the mandate to regulate and control the engineering education, training, and practice of engineering in all its aspects and ramifications.

According to him, COREN carries out its mandate by ensuring quality assurance of training institutions offering engineering through accreditation of engineering programmes in tertiary institutions.

“The National Universities Commission (NUC) and COREN have agreed to commence joint accreditation of engineering programmes in universities.

“This is similar to the existing practice between the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and COREN for polytechnics and monotechnics.

“In line with the aspiration of COREN to meet the global standards of Sydney Accord (SA) and Dublin Accord (DA) under the IEA, NBTE and COREN have agreed to commence accreditation of technical colleges in Nigeria this coming academic session.

“In response to the goals of the current administration, the Council approved the resuscitation of Supervised Industrial Training Scheme in Engineering (SITSIE) under a new name of Engineering Residency Programme (EREP).’’

Abubakar said that the plan is to engage the National Assembly to seek legislative backing for its funding by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in line with the existing law.

“This is a one-year post-graduation training programme for all engineering graduates of an accredited university or polytechnic.

“It is designed to meet practical experience requirements for the purpose of registration with COREN as professional engineer or an engineering technologist similar to the practices of Medical and other professions.’’

Abubakar said that relevant organisations like NUC, NBTE, the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), and the and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), among others, were contacted, and all expressed their readiness to participate in and support the laudable initiative.

He said that COREN equally ensured that all qualified engineering practitioners including technologists, technicians and craftsmen were certified through the registration process of the Council before they are licenced to practice in Nigeria.

He explained that this was necessary because only such registered engineering practitioners would be allowed to head engineering departments and units, and to supervise engineering projects.

He added that aligning with the current administration’s renewed hope agenda; the Council approved the creation of a new register for the cadre of engineering artisans in line with its mandate.

The president said that the new National Skills Qualifications (NSQ) levels one to six under the NSQ framework included in the scheme of services of Nigeria has given the required recognition and backing to the holders of the NSQ levels to progress in their cadre without any hitch.

Abubakar said that in the same vein, COREN being a member of National Skill Council (NSC), was charged to drive the Sector Skill Council for Engineering (SSC4E).

He said, “Arrangement has reached an advanced stage with NBTE and other relevant organisations for the inauguration of the SSC4E.

“This heralded the commencement of the processes of training, certification, and licencing of artisans in the engineering sector in Nigeria.

“COREN is the awarding body, NBTE is the regulatory body, and the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) will chair the Council (SSC4E), composed of nominees representing diverse interest groups in engineering.

“These include employers of labour, professional bodies, academia, the private sector, etc., in line with the NSQF manual.’’