'SWEP' IN MY SCHOOL

As philosophers said that 'experience is the mother of knowledge' that is people learn from what happens to them.

The word 'SWEP'means Student Work Experience Program. It is a program set up by the school authority for
engineering students after a 200level second-semester examination for us to have more knowledge and gain experience in the engineering field. It's for two months. Reports of every activity must be kept and will be defended after the completion of the program.

Firstly, we are a group of 27 students and on getting to the department we meet up with the director of the department and the engineer in charge of SWEP students, and they briefed us on the schedules they have in place for us. To be précised we’re 10 numbers at that moment and we were grouped into two where we had to choose between two works routines for the day. A group would go for ‘brick making factory’ and the other group for ‘drawing of plans for a building – unity building’, so fortunately I fall into the first group (brick making factory).

However, here we were introduced to the machines (such as crusher, mixer, and molder) been used in the factory for the production of bricks, the materials (laterite, cement, and head pan), and the quantity of the materials to use during the process. Then they showed us how to crush the laterite, the amount of laterite, and cement with water to mix in the mixing machine. But we’re unable to mold due to no availability of enough material for production.

4½ head pan of laterite mixed with ¼ of cement that is 18 head pans of laterite with a bag of cement to produce 40 bricks. 10-15 liters of water for 4½ laterite depending on the dryness of the laterite.

Due to the current situation in Nigeria presently, I can say no knowledge is a waste. The fact that you studied engineering does not mean you will later work in an engineering enterprise after graduation, every experience you gained during the years might be useful in the end. I can now say I have one or two experience with brick manufacture and operation which is one of the aims of the SWEP.

On the second day, we ought to continue our work at the brick-making machine but the materials have not been delivered yet so we were told to take the plans designed by the second group and go to each in the building to take inventories of things in them for maintenance purposes. Nevertheless, at this junction I can, say the task is the most challenging part of my first week because knocking on the doors of offices of not just a clerk but professors and lecturers. Introducing yourself and stating reasons why you’re here, and the annoying part is that the professors are even nicer than expected but the clerks and directors are the ones to be feared most.
This experience proved my impression of leaders of office, most of them acknowledged themselves as a god whenever they found themselves there. Treating others as mere servants or nobody.

You might want to share your thoughts/views about this above-stated issue in the comment section, it’s all welcomed.

All pictures and graphics designed by me with Canva.