By Oyewo, Taoheed Oyetayo
Introduction.
I am Taoheed O.Oyewo; a being who is passionately interested in innovative engineering and human capital development. I am a student researcher, volunteer, mathematical prodigy, tutor, language enthusiast and the winner National Engineering brains competition 2021, runner up 2021 mega engineering week inter-institution Competition.
I am a part four student of LAUTECH, studying Mechanical Engineering. My research interest centred on Energy, material science and engineering, nanotechnology etc.
Thankfully, it is required of me to state that out of 7000 students that applied for internship in the aforementioned station, I am privilege to be part of the 23 students that made it to the final stage and secured the engineering SIWES Internship, after being subjected to virtual written assessment and rigorous interview.
I secured an internship position at Egbin Power PLC; the largest power generating station in Nigeria with an installed capacity of 1,320 MW consisting of 6 Units of 220MW each.
The station is located at Ijede / Egbin, in Ikorodu.. I got to know about this great Company via the programme organized by my department, then alumnus of my department organized a virtual programme which centered on students introduction to the basic of energy and power generation.
Since then, I have been on a look out for Industrial Programme application form in that field until I got it.
However, I didn’t only apply for Egbin power PLC, I applied for others like nestle, coca cola company, Conoil, but unfortunately Covid-19 pandemic prevented me from securing some as they responded that their workers are working remotely.
2 Why It? .How did you get there, and what works do you do? Suggest other places where people in your department can train.
To begin with, we all know that practical experience is the best, and internships give students that hands-on experience they need. Quality internships are essential to develop key skills that you can’t get in a classroom.
Skills such as multitasking, communicating, learning to deal with diversity, and dealing with deadlines are different when you are working for someone else, not yourself like you do in school.
I got the placement with Allah’s help doubled with my insatiable inquisitiveness for learning and exploring.
What work do you do there?
Laconically, I was deployed to Instrumentation and control department, Mechanical maintenance department, Electrical maintenance department and Mechanical Maintenance department.
In those departments, I learnt and carried out all corrective/preventive maintenance of all instrumentation control, mechanical and electrical simulator related equipment.
I partook in various routine maintenance, partial overhauling of the plant and also local patrol. I had an opportune moment to also learn and collaborate with seasoned senior Engineers to ensure the following:
- o Boiler instruments are maintained in a preventive manner to ensure reliability and up time.
- o Turbine and common service instruments are maintained in a preventive manner to ensure reliability and up time.
- o Replacement of Pressure gauges, Elecropneumatic transmitter, converter etc
Additionally, when I was in Electrical maintenance department, I learnt how to install and maintain electrical equipment, such as circuit breakers, transformers, generators, electric motors, troubleshooting of faulty circuits, within and outside the power plant.
More so, I took part in the repair of faulty band screen system on the lagoon, I partook in the partial overhauling of air steam ejector and many more.
“As I complete my internship in this noble power plant on Wednesday15th, December 2021. I am elated I have learned and realize what an excellent experience this has been so far. I have gathered much knowledge in the classroom, but a hands-on approach has been invaluable. It has been serving as a beneficial ending to my formal education.
In my opinion, the best way to learn is by doing. I am truly grateful for this opportunity. I believe LAUTECH has done a tremendous job in integrating internship program into the school curriculum. Mechanical Engineering department takes a laid back approach to this part of the major.
At first, when I began looking for an internship, I was not sure that I liked having so much freedom in my decision, but looking back, I am appreciative of the way the department conducts the program because it allowed me to seek out my own internship and set-up all the details involved.
The departmental lecturers were helpful when I had questions relating to internship, but it was good for me to oversee every aspect of my own internship and, in the end, has been advantageous. I believe having father-to son-like relationship virtually with all my lecturers has been helping my sojourn so far.
Advice to junior colleagues.
Internship is extremely valuable to a student. It is a small taste of the real world. It helped me to reinforce my knowledge of responsibility, focus, drive and ambition. I encourage students to find their internship based on their future career goals. It’s not always necessary to stick to what’s listed or given to us to find the perfect internship.
Use search engines to look for beneficial places for internship,Schlumberger, Agip Innoson group,MRS, Dangote group, Delta steel company,Fembosco Engineering company, slot engineering, Ramcon electromechanical Company, Mateng Nigeria Limited, Dandani integrated Limited, Chikason Group, Robert Bosch Nigeria are better companies we normally accept good and knowledge driven students.
What was the first shock you experienced?
My first shock was when I realized the practicality of working is not something that can be taught in a textbook. If not for this internship, I would have probably not laid my hands on some Machines and equipment (Boiler, Turbine, Generator, Demineralization plant, Desalination plant, Hydrogen,Oxygen plant etc) used in my field.
Another thing that I learned from this wonderful experience is to keep out of office politics. Like my mother always said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” What wonderful advice when you are trying to negotiate your way around a business that is filled with different personality types and long-standing relationships and issues.”
Interesting things about this place.
“The thing that is overwhelming about EGBIN’s internship program is the freedom of it all. It was freedom that allowed me to pick International Model United Nations(IMUN), a place where I had never been, and decide to intern there virtually. Also, my exposure to the housing colony which provided me the convenience of full community and recreational facilities which include shopping Centre, club house, medical treatment centre and sport field. Wonderfully, the utilities and sanitary services are provided to internationally accepted standards.
“There are several important things I learned through this experience. I know now that sometimes you have to shut your mouth even when you believe you’re right. I have found some people are rude and not helpful (no matter how nice you are to them). And, I have discovered that it is very beneficial to understand how individual units’ possible hazards and remedial actions are before working there.
A very valuable piece of advice my supervisor gave me one day is that you should always work with brass tools in any hydrogen plant or area since Hydrogen is 100 times inflammable than petrol. The use of brass tool won’t cause any ignition or spark which could cause explosion or fire accident.
“Open communication was one of the strongest and most apparent skills that I used during my internship. When I first started interning, I was not intimidated and nervous to ask too many questions because I believe it allows me to admit that I didn’t understand or I need extra help with something. Luckily, I Increased my frequency of asking questions, because asking questions is the only way to learn what I really supposed to be doing. I found that the Engineers and bosses appreciated it more if I asked too many questions to make sure I really understood what it was doing and that I did it correctly. Without open communication between everyone in here, I don’t see how any work can be done.
What are the challenges you face every day since you started your IT?
“The first few days of my experience at Egbin Power Plc were hectic and sweat filled as I tried to acclimate my self to the speed and intricacies of resuming to work at 8am and closes at 5pm every day. However, since I got into a routine and learned the jargon of the station quickly, I began to enjoy my work day and flow with other reputable Engineers.
What have you learned other than things related to academics?
I have learned to work well as a team and that without my counterparts the work would not get done. Another aspect that I learned throughout my internship is to never be afraid to ask lots of questions. By asking questions I got answers.”
From your brief experience, which is easier?
Work or School? To me, both are problematic and challenging. I never realized how important experience is in the working world. Obviously in the school bubble we are warned of many things, but until we actually face them, they are just that, warnings. The work world is grueling and it is now obvious as to why it is so important to do what you love. Because even with jobs that you love there will be days when you just want to quit. Starting out in the working world is also humbling, being the “new kid”, having to do all the work that no one else wants to do and having the crappy schedules. Although, I miss school saga and my buddy.
Has your IT program contributed to your academic and personal life?
Yes, it has. As a young talented multitask able guy whose mind is to settle down for academics, I was moved to request for a lot of contents about the station, my frequent perusals of those contents have made me realized I could come up with my own academic paper at the end of my internship. For my personal life, it has helped me to create more time to increase my nearness with my Creator and my love once.
Benefits:
I am opportune to attend the recently conducted Nigerian Society of Engineers Conference(NSE), in Abuja. The Conference tagged “Expansion of the Energy mix for National Economic Growth”. The conference allowed me to expand my love for energy sector. I learnt the renewable master plan demand for electricity in Nigeria will reach 116GW by 2031. Same estimates put the demand at 45GW as at 2021. While the Energy Commission of Nigeria also projected increase in electricity demand from 51GW in 2020 to 119GW by 2031.
Sadly, Nigeria has 25 grids-connected power Generating plants with a total installed capacity of 12.56GW. Unfortunately, these plants can only boast of an available capacity of 3.88GW, what a despicable situation!
I further realized that, this is because a number of these plants are unavailable for evacuation to the national grid because of the peculiarity of Nigeria’s degraded system- for instance, lack of maintenance, trip offs, faults and leakage. Continually, most of these plants are fired by fossil(natural gas) thermal power(85%, i.e 22 Gas plants generating 10, 632MW) whilst the remaining 15% are accounted for by 3 hydroelectric power plants-Jebba, kanji and Shiroro Power Stations generating 1,930 MW.
Moving forward, it’s disheartening to know that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry is undergoing significant set backs. I learnt the privatization of PHCN in 2013 led to the formation of 11 electricity distribution Companies(DISCOs) and 6 Generation Companies (GENCOs) while government retained 100% ownership of Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) as part of the strategy for socio economic transformation.
More so, the thermal generation dominated sector installed capacity now of about 12,522MW is not only inadequate for a population of over 200million, but less than 50% being generated is hardly fully evacuated and distributed. By extension, considering the current electricity situation in Nigeria, I can safely conclude that the demand for electricity greatly outstrip the supply, hence in order to contribute my quota as young and promising engineer, there is a need for young engineers to collectively venture an develop the Country’s renewable energy(re) potentials.
Research has it that, Renewable Energy(RE) resources hold great potential for meeting the energy needs of Nigeria, a country that is aptly described as an energy deficient nation. With a huge RE resources such as biomass, string winds, unlimited solar potentials, hydro and geothermal resources. It could be conceived that Nigeria has sufficient RE resources they could potentially provide a significant proportion of the country’s expanding energy needs. Persuant to the forgoing, and in partial fulfillment of my academic uprightness, I shall research more on one of NSE developed sub-themes tagged “Energy mix research and its application to address current energy crisis”.
The aforesaid, shall enable be to pragmatically analyze current energy problems and remedial measures to be implemented and advocate global grown technical and managerial solutions as well as deployment of all available natural resources of conventional and renewables for power generation in Nigeria. In conclusion, the five days conference, my internship opened way for, has afforded me the opportunity to meet, liaise and learn from season Nigerian’s Enginering Policy makers and Market Operators.
Additionally, I had an opportune moment to wholheartedly network with other young engineers across Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. 10. Oya gist us(tell us random things) Now, I am realizing the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for. Commensurately, I am open for life-transforming mentorship and networking that could help make my scholarship search for my masters and PhD a success.
I can be contacted via the below handles LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/taoheed-o-oyewo-b119071a6 Facebook- Oyewo Taoheed Whatsapp- 08160851746 Phone number: 09151783092
By Oyewo, Taoheed Oyetayo
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.O. 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
E-mail: oyewotaoheedoyetayo@gmail.com LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/taoheed-o-oyewo-b119071a6