By Ikenna Nwokedi
The Faculty of Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, recently held the Engineering Software Training (EST) Programme for the undergraduate students of the Faculty.
The programme which was flagged off with an opening ceremony held at the NEEDS Assessment building had the convergence of the Faculty scholars from the various departments, resource persons and the students all in attendance.
Declaring the event open in her welcome address, the acting Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi stated that the Engineering Software training programme is a testament to the Faculty’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Prof. Arinze-Umobi who was represented by the Director of GS Unit and former Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, Engr. Prof. Philomena Igbokwe averred that the programme will undoubtedly equip the students with the skills and knowledge required to excel in today’s technology-driven engineering landscape.
The acting VC informed that the University prioritize producing graduates who are not only knowledgeable but also industry-ready and the training aligns with the current administration’s mission to foster academic excellence, innovation and practical skills. The acting VC commended the Faculty for commencing the programme and encouraged the students to make use of this opportunity by learning from the experts and applying the skills gained to real-world engineering challenges.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion and CEO Securecode Software, Engr. Dan Egbue commended the management of the Faculty of Engineering for the novel idea behind the programme describing it as a well-thought out package to ensure that the Faculty produces industry-ready engineers.
Engr. Egbue noted that the programme is designed to train students, link their knowledge of engineering principles and mathematical models to its implementation using software tools and in addition enhance their competitive edge when they will be due for the labour market.
In his welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Engr. Prof. Ugochukwu Okonkwo disclosed that the programme will ensure that all the undergraduate students develop the needed skills and confidence to apply software tools in solving various engineering problems.
The FEG Dean informed that the programme provides a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application as students will have the opportunity to simulate, model and optimize systems thereby enhancing their understanding and applying same to real life problems. He noted that the software to learn by each department aligns well with the professional demands as the various departments chose relevant software their students will be learning.
Prof. Okonkwo disclosed that upon his emergence as the Dean, he introduced the EST programme with the ambitious vision of “One Semester, One Software” which was later modified by the Faculty Board to “One Session, One Software” with the goal being to equip the students with the knowledge and confidence to apply software tools in their academic and professional pursuits.
The scholar thanked the resource persons, professors and senior colleagues for gracing the occasion.
On his part, the Chairman of the EST Committee, Engr. Prof. Kenneth Akpado affirmed that the programme was designed to train the students of the Faculty on softwares that will enhance their development. The EST Committee Chairman disclosed that twenty-four (24) softwares were selected for the programme based on relevance to department and was designed in such a way that four softwares were chosen for each department with one software per level.
Prof. Akpado also said the software training for the fourth year students will be completed in their final year upon their return from Industrial Training (IT).
Prof. Akpado further disclosed that the Faculty is making plans for the programme to be continuous while he called on the students to take the training programme serious for their development.
The colourful opening ceremony featured short overview of some Engineering softwares by five resource persons. The resource persons were the Sub-Dean of the Faculty, Engr. Dr. Kingsley Nnakwo who gave insights on ImageJ Software; Coordinator of Telecommunication Programme, Engr. Dr. Obinna Oguejiofor gave an overview on MATLAB Software; Engr. Ikechukwu Okoli gave a brief on ANSYS and Solidworks; Engr. Gabriel Nnamuoko gave highlights on Anaconda Software for Machine Learning and Engr. Collins Okoli talked on CSC Orion Application Software.
Other Professors and Senior colleagues who were part of the opening ceremony were the former Dean of the FEG, Prof. Joseph Nwabanne; Prof. Cletus Ohaneme; Prof. Christopher Ezeagwu; Prof. Jeremiah Chukwuneke; Director ICT (Software Services), Dr. Azubuike Aniedu and the various Heads of Departments in the Faculty.
In a vote of thanks, the Vice-President (Membership) of Nigeria Universities’ Engineering Student Association (NUESA), UNIZIK Chapter, Samuel Uzoamaka appreciated the Dean of the Faculty for his exceptional leadership and unwavering support towards enhancing the academic potentials of the students. He assured that the students will be attentive and committed in the programme so as to enhance their knowledge base.
He also called the students to prioritize skill acquisition and seize this golden opportunity for growth and development.
