Students of the Society of Petroleum Engineering Students (SPES), at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, have appealed to government, industry stakeholders and well-meaning individuals to support initiatives aimed at enhancing practical learning and professional development for aspiring petroleum engineers.
The appeal was made during a courtesy visit by the President of SPES, Comrade Mmesoma Ikegwuonu, and the society’s Director of Socials, Comrade Micheal Ikenga, to the Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Prof. Charles Ofoegbu, at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
Speaking during the visit, Comrade Ikegwuonu disclosed that the society is preparing an orientation programme for newly admitted petroleum engineering students to acquaint them with the ethics, values and professional expectations of the discipline.
The student leader explained that the initiative is designed to equip students with the right mindset for academic excellence and successful careers in the petroleum industry.
Ikegwuonu also identified inadequate laboratory facilities, insufficient government funding and limited internship opportunities as major challenges confronting petroleum engineering students, noting that the constraints have limited students’ exposure to practical industry experience.
Responding, Prof. Ofoegbu commended the students for their commitment to professional growth and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and dedicated to acquiring relevant industry skills. He stressed the importance of practical knowledge and encouraged them to seek mentorship from experienced professionals in the sector.
The commissioner further called on government agencies, corporate organisations, education advocates and public-spirited individuals to invest in programmes that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities, describing such support as essential to developing a competent workforce for Nigeria’s petroleum and energy industry.
Prof. Ofoegbu directed the students to engage with the Anambra State Petroleum and Energy Resources Company for mentorship, guidance and other capacity-building opportunities.
