CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Industrial training practical was founded in 1973 by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), which has maintained its headquarters in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, since since (ITF and UNIJOS, 2011). It bridges the gap between theory and practice, allowing students at Nigerian tertiary institutions to gain technical skills and experience for professional growth throughout their studies. As a result, it is recognized by all Nigerian Tertiary Institutions of Learning. It is a prerequisite in a variety of degree programs(Mafe Olubunmi, 2009). It is a three-credit-unit course that students must complete before graduating. Its goal is to expose and prepare students at the country’s Tertiary institutions of learning for the industrial job scenarios they would face after graduation. Students’ industrial work experience program aims to close the gap between theory and practice by exposing students to the skills needed for a seamless transition from the classroom to the workplace. It assists students in gaining vocational, technical skills, and experience in order to increase their professional and career opportunities. Prior to the launch of the Scheme, there was rising concern among Nigerian business leaders that graduates of higher education institutions lacked the requisite practical experience for employment. Employers believe that theoretical knowledge obtained at higher institutions is insufficient to meet the demands of the economy. It was against this backdrop that the Fund provided IT TRAINING in its early years to give students the chance to work with industrial equipment and machines (ITF and UNIJOS, 2011).
Industrial training practical is a kind of industrial internship program for students at post-secondary educational institutions. All stakeholders are engaged in the operation of IT TRAINING, according to Mafe Olubunmi (2009), but students are the essential players that are directly involved in its execution. IT TRAINING is general, according to Mafe Olubunmi, (2010), quoting Crag Johnson, (1987), since it spans over more than 70 programs in universities, over 50 programs in polytechnics, and around 15 programs in schools of education. Engineering, vocational, technological, agricultural science, forestry, industrial chemistry, microbiology, geology and mineral science, physics and mineral science, plant and environmental biology, computer science, tourism and hospitality, business education, industrial engineering, enterprise creation and management, computer engineering and related courses are among the most popular courses in Nigerian tertiary institutions (Crag Johnson, 1987).
Students’ experiences gained through this program are an excellent tool for assisting them in certain basic aspects of their full development in practical and technological courses, allowing them to acquire the necessary skills. Many students lack the relevant and marketable skills required by companies; students confront the challenge of learning the necessary practical knowledge, but Industrial Training has helped to alleviate this issue. As a result, the pupils are encouraged to envision what they are learning (Mafe Olubunmi, 2009). However, the implementation of this IT program has aided students’ performance, particularly in terms of establishing direct touch with some of the new kids who have been educated theoretically in school. The goal of IT training is to assist students in finding a solution to the issue of unemployment, in taking their first steps in their life profession with joy and confidence, and in preparing them for the world. To sum it up, students who have benefited from IT training chances go to the next level and are prepared to face whatever hurdles they have in their careers in terms of acquiring new skills. However, the importance of industrial training in Nigerian higher education institutions will be examined in this research.
1.2Â Statement of the Problem
Industrial training, without a doubt, is a commendable skills development program aimed at bridging the gap between classroom theory and practical practice (Mafe Olubunmi, 2009). Despite the importance of Industrial Training in students’ professional development, the scheme has been hampered by challenges such as employer rejection, non-relevance of training locations, inadequate student supervision by some institutions, and an inadequate industrial training orientation program (Mafe Olubunmi, 2009). Lack of funding for the scheme’s effective operation is another issue that industrial training faces. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed to examine  the significance of industrial training in Nigeria higher institutions.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of this study was to examine the the significance of industrial training in Nigeria higher institutions .The specific objective include:
i.         To examine the impacts of industrial training practical on the students job experience.
ii.       To find out the contributions of industrial training on human resources development through certification and accreditation.
iii.     To determine the challenges faced by the students during their industrial training programme.
iv.     To establish the correlation between employers of labour and the skill potentials of industrial training participants.
