Students of the Department of Stategic Communication and Media Studies Kwara State, Polytechnic, Ilorin, have successfully defended their three-month Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) reports following the completion of their industrial training in various media and communication organisations.
The SIWES defence brought together students from the Department of Strategic Communication and Media Studies who presented detailed reports of their experiences, the responsibilities they handled and the practical knowledge acquired during the attachment.
The students carried out their industrial training in different organisations, including television stations, marketing and strategic communication firms and photojournalism outfits, where they gained hands-on experience in news reporting, programme production, media relations, content creation, photography, digital communication and other professional skills relevant to the communication industry.
The Head of the Department of Strategic Communication and Media Studies, Mr. Enoch Abimbola Opaleke, led the assessment alongside Mr. Musa Muritala Bada, Miss Zubair Fatimah and other lecturers in the department. During the exercise, the lecturers critically evaluated the students presentations and asked questions to assess their understanding of the tasks performed during the internship, the skills acquired, challenges encountered and how the industrial experience has prepared them for professional practice.
The panel also encouraged the students to reflect on their career ambitions, asking them to identify the areas of media and communication they intend to specialise in after graduation. Students shared their aspirations in television broadcasting, print journalism, public relations, advertising, strategic communication, digital media and photojournalism while highlighting how the SIWES programme has broadened their knowledge of the profession.
The SIWES defence was conducted simultaneously at two different venues, with separate panels assigned to students in the department of Strategic Communication and media studies to ensure a smooth and comprehensive assessment process.
The exercise forms an important part of the academic programme, providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate the practical skills and industry exposure gained during their industrial attachment. It also enables the department to evaluate how effectively the students have translated classroom learning into real-world professional experience.
The successful completion of the SIWES defence marks another milestone in the training of Strategic and media communication students at Kwara State Polytechnic, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to producing graduates equipped with the practical knowledge, technical competence and professional ethics required to excel in the ever-evolving media and communication industry.
