The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has proposed a N75,000 monthly stipend for engineering interns participating in the mandatory one-year post-graduation internship programme.
The internship, required for engineering graduates from universities and polytechnics before their national youth service, aims to provide practical experience and improve job readiness.
COREN President, Prof. Sadiq-Zubair Abubakar, announced this at the induction of new engineering graduates into the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). He noted that Nigeria is the second African nation to sign the Washington Accord, enabling engineering graduates to meet global employment standards after completing specific requirements.
The requirements include the one-year internship, the adoption of a 10-semester academic system, and student indexing for approved engineering programmes.
Despite the mandate by COREN and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the programme faces funding challenges, hindering its full execution. To address this, COREN is collaborating with the ITF, the National Assembly, and other key bodies, including the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), to secure financial support and legislative backing.
Prof. Abubakar emphasized that the internship is vital for equipping graduates with practical skills, lamenting that many Nigerian engineers are often seen as unemployable due to a lack of hands-on experience.
He also addressed the issue of dual accreditation for engineering programmes by both the National Universities Commission (NUC) and COREN, calling it a misallocation of resources. He revealed that COREN is working on a joint accreditation framework with the NUC to streamline the process and maximize resource efficiency.
During the induction ceremony, 885 engineering graduates from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were welcomed into the Nigerian Society of Engineers.