Clintonel Innovation Center, UNN Colaborate to Bridge Engineering Skills Gap

By Funmi Ogundare 

The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) recently hosted the second edition of its Engineering Career Fair from June 29th to July 1st, 2023. 

The event which was organised through a partnership between the Faculty of Engineering UNN and Clintonel Innovation Center Aba, aimed to bridge the engineering skills gap in Nigeria and align engineering education with industry needs.

Building on the success of the inaugural fair in September 2021, the second edition attracted significant interest from students, with over five-hundred registrations. Its objectives were to equip engineering students and graduates with industry-relevant skills, inspire an innovative mindset among the students, introduce participants to modern and emerging technologies, and prepare engineering graduates for job applications and the world of work.

The fair featured renowned engineering experts from various industries who provided valuable insights and training on industry expectations. Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in practical industry-led workshops on topics such as Health Safety and Environment, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Solar panel installation, inverter design, Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacturing, Laser cutting and engraving, and Web3 foundations.

During the event, Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, expressed delight at the strong industry-academia collaboration showcased by the event. He expressed great satisfaction with the active involvement of the students and emphasized the significant presence of alumni from the faculty who served as speakers and facilitated industry-led trainings. This demonstration of alumni engagement and industry involvement exemplifies the fruitful collaboration between academia and industry through the faculty. Among other speakers at the event was the former Vice President of COREN, Engr. Prof. Ugo Nwoji. He emphasized the importance of networking and nurturing University friendships, as these connections can lead to collaborative teamwork and provide valuable learning and professional development opportunities.

One of the significant event highlights was the announcement by Engr. Ugochukwu Aronu, Co-Founder of Xend Finance and an alumnus of the faculty, of an innovation challenge aimed at identifying key local/global problems, brainstorming solutions, and building engineering models that can address the identified problem. This challenge offers a total prize of $5,000 and technical mentoring to two winning teams from the Faculty of Engineering. The challenge encourages the development of innovative proposals that can be transformed into engineering products, fostering sustainable development and making a positive impact on Nigerian society. Other companies present at the event were Genesys Techhub Enugu, Clintonel Inoovation Center Aba, Minnostech Enugu, Manamuz, Onshore and Ofshore Institute of Nigeria, UgarSoft/Xend Finance, Kitovu Technologies among others.

In addition, the newly established Engineering Education Research Group, led by the Career Fair convener, Engr. Dr. Ijeoma J.F Ezika, awarded five Health, Safety, and Environment training and certification scholarships to top participants in the HSE technical session.

In his closing remarks, Engr. Tochukwu Chukwueke, CEO of Clintonel Innovation Center Aba, expressed satisfaction with the event’s organization and student turnout, despite its proximity to the exam period. He emphasized the importance of locally manufactured engineering products and encouraged students, recognizing them as the country’s hope.

The students expressed their overwhelming joy and satisfaction with the event, highlighting the valuable skills acquired and networks formed. In anonymous feedback, one student expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate and emphasized the event’s invaluable learning experiences. Another student wished they could attend all sessions concurrently, appreciating the event and expressing the desire to return if another fair is organized. Embracing an innovative mindset was emphasized by another student, who felt challenged to explore new opportunities in the field of technology as an engineering student.

The UNN Engineering Career Fair was implemented as part of the Engineering Program for Safety and Industry (EPSI), a project supported by Engineering X, an international collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering UK and Lloyd’s Register Foundation.