Effect of Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) on Professional Career Development of Library and Information Science Schools in Nigerian Universities

The study investigated the relationship between the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme on the professional career development of library and information science students in Nigerian universities. Three objectives guided the study and three research questions were raised in line with the objectives along with three null hypotheses. The study adopted a survey research design of the correlation type. A self-designed questionnaire was randomly administered to fifteen (15) university students offering library and information science courses drawn from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria giving a total of ninety (90) using the nonproportionate sampling technique as a population of the study. Data collected were analyzed using regression analysis to answer both the research questions and test the null hypotheses. The funding reveals that a positive relationship exists between the relationship between student Industrial Work Experience Scheme and the technical skills acquisition of library science students. Since the calculated [r] is 0.82.; Positive high relationship exists between the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme and personal and interpersonal skills possessed by library and information science students since the correlation coefficient [r] is 0.76; Positive relationship exists between the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme and the Nigerian University library science students carried out since the correlation coefficient [r] is 73; Significant relationship exists between the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme and technical skills acquisition of library science students in Nigerian Universities since the obtained F-ratio 262.542 is significant at the 0.00 level; Significant relationship exists between the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme and personal and interpersonal skills acquisition of library science students carried out since the obtained F-ratio 156.279 is significant at the 0.00 level and, Significant relationship exists between Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme experience and Nigerian University library science students’ practical skills development in their workplace since the obtained F-ratio 147.337 is significant at the 0.00 level. Among the recommendations made include the: Higher Institutors of learning should ensure that Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme experience sites or work stations must meet the requirement of having technical equipment for students to use, etc.

Keywords: effect; students' industrial work experience scheme; professional career development; library and information science: students; Nigerian universities.