COREN Institutionalizes One-Year Engineering Residency Program for Graduates to Boost Employability

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has formally institutionalized a mandatory one-year Engineering Residency Programme (EREP) for all engineering graduates from Nigerian universities and polytechnics. This move is aimed at significantly enhancing the practical skills and employability of young engineers, bridging the critical gap between academic theory and industry demands.

The initiative, which revives the concept of the former Supervised Industrial Training Scheme in Engineering (SITSIE) under a new, robust framework, was officially announced by COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the council’s 32nd assembly in August 2024, Prof. Abubakar emphasized the urgency of the program in light of the challenges faced by Nigerian engineering graduates in the job market.

“We don’t feel good when our graduates are called unemployable,” Prof. Abubakar stated, highlighting that industries often struggle to absorb graduates due to a lack of hands-on experience a global benchmark typically met through such residency programs. “We need our engineering graduates to have the requisite hands-on competence and proficiencies to enable them to deliver and become more employable, hence the programme.”

The one-year post-graduation training is designed to provide comprehensive practical and industry exposure. It is intended to be a prerequisite for graduates before proceeding to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and for professional registration with COREN as certified engineers or engineering technologists. This structured residency is also crucial for aligning Nigerian engineering qualifications with international standards, particularly following Nigeria’s admission as the second African country to sign the prestigious Washington Accord.

COREN Registrar, Prof. Ademola Adisa, had earlier in May 2024 underscored the necessity of the program due to globalization and emerging technologies, stressing that the Council is restructuring its activities to ensure graduates meet both local and international employment standards.

To facilitate the program’s implementation, COREN has proposed a monthly allowance of N75,000 for participating interns, a move that requires legislative backing and increased funding from the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). Prof. Abubakar confirmed that COREN is actively engaging the National Assembly, ITF, and other key stakeholders to secure the necessary support and resources to fully operationalize the EREP.

Beyond the residency program, COREN is also working on a framework for joint accreditation of engineering programs with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to streamline processes and optimize resource utilization. The reintroduction of this mandatory practical training signals COREN’s strong commitment to producing globally competitive engineers capable of addressing Nigeria’s developmental challenges.