SIWES Experience at PPMC: Learning and Challenges

ABSTRACT

Student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) was established by the I.T.F. in 1973 to solve problem of lack of adequate practical skills needed for employment in industries by Nigeria graduates of tertiary or higher institution. It is a skilled training program that is designed to expose and prepare student for the industrial situation they are likely to meet after graduation. It is an appreciable skills training program which form part of the minimum academics standard in Nigeria universities. The scheme is a participatory program involving universities, polytechnics, and technical colleges of student of various institutions in Nigeria.

This program commonly known as industrial training helps students to acquire needed experience to compliment theoretical system of learning in school by getting job placement in any organization of choice .it is important that the institution must be relevant to course; else it will be a total waste of time.

During the period of attachment, the student is expected to keep adequate record of his/her activities, as well those of the organization of attachment.

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On return to the institution after the attachment, the student is also expected give a detailed report of his/her experience This is the main purpose of these report, it explains in details my three month of industrial attachment training experience from 4th of may,2011 to 29th July 2011 at Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited. It contains information about the organization and the department with which I worked, the knowledge I acquired, the challenges I faced and my recommendations.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) is a training scheme by which a student can undergo practical training within an approved time in an organization of choice. According to Ochiaga (1995) practical knowledge is learning without which mastery of an area of knowledge maybe too difficult to achieve. Practical knowledge involves developing skills through the use of tools or equipment to perform task that are related to a field or study. No society can achieve meaningful progress without encouraging its youth to acquire practical skills to enable them harness available resources to meet the need of a society.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SIWES

(1) It diversifies practical experiences and help to develop the attribute of team work and correlation with other professions and disciplines (2) It is intended to provide the trainees with a new dimension to their experiences (3) This would necessarily involve exposure of trainees to entire gamut of activities of industrial establishments in a phased and systematic manner (4)An exposure to the working environment of the large commercial organization gives an integrated view of its operation. (5) It is essential that the members imparting training in industry, commercial and financial enterprises recognizes that perception of overall business environment is the prime objective of that training

CHAPTER TWO HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PIPELINE AND PRODUCT MARKETING COMPANY LIMITED PPMC was set up as a subsidiary and strategic business unit of Nigeria National Petroleum corporation (NNPC).PPMC is run in conformity with the management of total quality in pursuant to the directive of the parent corporation, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).it is located at block C PPMC, NNPC Towers, Herbert Macaulay way, central business district P.M.B. 459, Garki, Abuja. It is headed by a board of directors; its mission is to ensure security supply of petroleum products to the domestic market at low operating costs, market special products competitively in the domestic and international market provide excellent customer service by effectively and efficiently transporting crude oil in refineries and moving petroleum products to the market. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF PPMC

(1) To ensure security supply of petroleum product to domestic market at operating price (2) To market special products competitively
(3) Provide excellent customer service by effectively and efficiently transporting crude oil to the refineries. (4) Moving petroleum product to the market.
However, to actualize the objectives, vision, and business mission of PPMC the company has continued with the implementation of the program as contained in the strategic planning at the inception having consolidated home market, within the first few years the company has been exploring its pipeline network to neighboring countries to earn valuable revenue.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF PPMC

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NON-EXECUTIVE
CHAIRMAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIALS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SERVICES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
FINANCE AND ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT

MAIN DEPARTMENTS OF THE ORGANISATION

PPMC is structured to operate under board of directors headed by a non-executive chairman. The company is daily managed by chief executives officer, the managing director who is assisted by four executive directors namely: executive director of operations, executive director of service, executive director of commercial and executive director of finance and account In every organizational structure there are always different departments: -Administrative department

-Finance and account department
-Marketing department
-Human resources departments
-Public affairs department

ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT
This is an organizational unit that performs the management activities that benefit the entire organization. This department is directly linked with head of department. The basic function is to provide required materials to staffs and working labour

FINANCE AND ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT

The finance department is a service department which provides accounting, finance and purchases services to all departments. Account functions to provide financial reporting bank reconciliations, transactional journals entries. Ensuring that quality financial services and information are provided.

MARKETING DEPARTMENT

It main function is to create strong relations with their customers and marketing involve a wide range of processes concerned with finding out what customer want then provide it for them and it’s co-ordination with sales department and this is focus department because its purpose is for the advertisement of the organization.

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

The main function of this department is to make relations between high management working labour and to take people in working labour .it is a motivated department and it creates co-operate climate between department to give chance to show skills

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

This department is divided into three:
Press
Protocol
Community relations

PRESS ROOM;

The functions carried out are: press cutting, news production and packaging. As well as distribution of publication to the management staff of the organization, writing of minutes in meetings held in and out of the organization and turning them into news stories.

PROTOCOL:

This was the first office I was posted to before been redeployed to press, it partially deals with the administration of the organization, formulation of protocol, arrangement of management travels, writing of introduction letter, arrangement of official lunches, dinner, and reception. As well as organizing of management birthday parties, dispatching of birthday cards, booking and buying management travel ticket which undergoes a lot of processes.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS:

This department deals with visitation of communities that have pipelines running through them to educate them about the dangers of pipeline vandalism and it sometimes performs other functions like booking of tickets and making reservations for the organization.

CHAPTER THREE
WORKING EXPERIENCE

My I.T experience at Public Affairs Department of PPMC was a tremendous and unforgettable experience. Experience is the best teacher of all times. I was able to acquire the practical skills of the theoretical aspect of learning, though challenging but l was able to increase my skills and build up confidence as communicator. I learnt moral and ethical code of conduct as well as professionalism. I also learnt to communicate effectively with external and internal visitors that visits press room. Writing of minutes was not an exception of the skills I also acquired.

WORKDONE:

PRESS ROOM:

During my training l was posted to pressroom where compilation of news features and stories on the oil and gas industry is been carried –out on a daily basis, it involves: press cutting, photocopying, stapling cuttings into hardcover (PIPLINERS) and distribution is made to the management staff of PPMC and sometimes to the other staff who need the information.

ATTENDING OF MEETING

This was a very important event, I was necessitated to be present at, I attended a meeting between PPMC and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), with the presence of the Managing director of PPMC, Prince Momoh, the purpose of this meeting was the complaint made by the NUPENG about the inadequate distribution of petroleum product of PPMC and other related issues were discussed during the meeting was there to write minutes of meeting. Another mandatory event that took place during my internship was the meeting that was held in the conference room, the managing director Prince Momoh urged the GTs (Graduate trainees) that were employed to be hardworking and dedicated to work.

WRITING MINUTES IN-HOUSE MEETING

There have been so many instances that I and my fellow colleague in the office have been asked to go and represent the department in a meeting, we attended a meeting between the Managing director of PPMC, Prince Momoh and independent marketers; represented by Mr Aidu . the purpose of the meeting was for them to make enquiry on distribution and availability of petroleum products, this was held at the junior staff canteen in the towers

RESERVATION AND ARRANGEMENT

Registration of golf club is done by the department for the organization, reservations of hotel especially in terms of important dignitaries, arrangement of management travels both local and international as well as booking of flight are part of the activities that I was also indulged in.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

I also engaged in writing reports on community relation which involves the visitation of communities that has pipelines running through them to enlighten people about the dangers of pipeline vandalism and making sure the pipelines are intact.

KEEPING BOSS UPDATED AND RECEIVING OF MEMOS

Whenever my boss is not on seat, I receive calls at her desk and keep her updated about any latest development. I also receive memos and sign documents for the department during and without her presence. For example: when we order for papers, biros, stapler and envelope from the organization.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

These are the steps carried out in order to avoid accidents while working. The following are the safety precautions taken
-Fire alerts to alert and educates staffs on fire outbreak
-Provision of alarm inside the elevator in case of power failure to avoid getting stock.
- Hold on tightly to railings especially while dispatching publication (PIPELINERS) to different floors.

CHALLENGES
Challenges are the difficulties that were encountered during this program are: -Security measures
-Fuel scarcity
-Expensive meals
-Running of errands
-Adapting to the towers
-Relating with staffs

SECURITY MEASURES

Due to the present security condition which has become a threat to the nation, some security measures had been put in place which has become very embarrassing to individuals, there were cases when soldiers that were supposed to guard the towers harass people for not complying to rules and regulation, such that identity cards must be properly displayed before entering the towers, there are four checkpoints before entering any office. It was really challenging because I must always be with my identity card before entering any block or office and must be properly scanned.

FUEL SCARCITY

During my internship there was fuel scarcity in Abuja, it was really hard and stressful to get taxi outside my house and even to the office. At times I had wait for forty or thirty minutes before getting taxi to work.

EXPENSIVE MEALS:

Feeding in the towers was very difficult because foods was expensive and are sold in small quantities; I had to go five miles away from the office to get food in moderate price. At times l would be forced to wake by 5:00am to cook before going to the office which i had to eat in a another office since food was not allowed in my office.

RUNNING ERRANDS;

Running errands was another experience that was inevitable, my boss constantly send me on both official and unofficial errands. There was a time I had to buy food for my boss and despite the description I got lost in the city while searching for a particular canteen but l later found my way back to the office. It was really embarrassing at times when asked on errand that like that of a slave; washing of plates, cups and in an unpleasant manner.

ADAPTING TO TOWERS;

The experience I had at the first week of resumption were unforgettable and embarrassing, I missed my way several days of the week, even when I was asked to make photocopies and I was forced to ask security officers the way back to the office. It was indeed difficult to adapt to towers with different blocks.

RELATING WITH STAFFS

Some staffs look down on IT students and address us anyhow, having a working relationship with staffs of the department and the organization was hard to adapt, especially with friendly and unfriendly staffs was difficult. Moreover some staffs are illiterate and hard to communicate with unlike the educated ones. Some male staffs will always also try to harass you and when I avoid them, they report to my boss that I was rude.

CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

My IT experience at Pipeline Product Marketing Company was a remarkable one. I was able to put into practice all I was thought in school and learn more. I was able to acquire all the necessary skills. Thanks to my boss and all employees that I worked with, they have really impacted in me. Thanks to SIWES for organizing the Industrial training fund and Bowen for granting me the opportunity to participate in the program.

RECCOMMENDATIONS

Organizations should try as much as possible to encourage student to participate in this training by making job placement easy. Research has shown that industrial training is important for student to get practical experience of theoretical skills acquired. In every organizations student should be appreciated and supervisor(s) should be pleasant in correcting them. However student should take industrial training very serious because the merits are more than demerit. Organizations should Endeavour to pay student during IT, since the only form of payment is STIPEND which is not enough to cover transportation, moreover some student are sent on errands without transport allowance.

REFERENCES
www.Goggle.com.Baraza.the objectives of SIWES
Www. Goggle; what is the meaning of SIWES
Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC)
Public Affairs department (PAD)