One-Year IT for ND Students: Duration, Placement, Logbook and HND Admission

Quick summary:

The one-year IT (industrial training) is the 12-month work placement most Nigerian polytechnic students do after ND II and before HND. You find a company in your field, work there for about a year, fill your logbook every day, and get your supervisor to sign it. At the end you collect an IT completion letter from the company, and many polytechnics also ask for a short IT report. Most polytechnics ask for proof of this year of work before they admit you to HND, so treat the letter as a document you cannot lose.

If you are in a polytechnic, you will hear two kinds of industrial training. The first is the short one, usually about 4 months after ND I, which many schools call SIWES. The second is the long one: the one-year IT you do after ND II, before HND.

Students rarely call the second one SIWES. They say "IT", "one-year IT" or "compulsory IT". This guide covers that year: what it is for, how to start it, what to keep while you are there, and what you need at the end.

Schools differ, so your department's IT unit has the final word on dates and documents. Use this as a checklist.

How long is IT for ND students?

University students do something similar but shorter, usually 3 months, 6 months, or both. See how long SIWES and IT last for the university side, and SIWES vs IT if you are not sure which one applies to you.

What the one-year IT is for

The ND gives you the classroom basics. The year of IT is where you use them in a real workplace before going back for HND. A Computer Science student might support a school's computers, work at a software firm or a bank's IT unit. An Accountancy student might work in an audit firm or a company's accounts office. An Electrical student might work with a power company, a building contractor or an electrical workshop.

It also gives the HND panel evidence that you have worked in your field. That is why the completion letter matters so much at the end.

Before you start: the documents to collect

Get these from your department or IT unit before you leave school:

1. Introduction or placement letter from your polytechnic, addressed to the company. See how to write an IT application letter.
2. The ITF or school forms your department uses, such as the placement form and assessment forms. See ITF Form 8 and SCAF explained.
3. A logbook. Some schools issue one; others tell you to buy a specific type.
4. Your ND result or statement of result, in case the company asks.

How to get a placement for your one-year IT

Start looking before your ND II exams end. A year is a long time, so companies are often happy to take IT students, but the good places fill quickly.

• Ask people who did IT last year. Your seniors know which companies take students and which ones actually let you work.
• Go in person with your letter and CV. Many small firms do not reply to emails. See CV for SIWES.
• Pick a place that matches your course. Your logbook and report have to describe work in your field. An Electrical student in a supermarket will struggle to fill a technical logbook.
• Get an acceptance letter. Once a company says yes, ask for it in writing. See IT acceptance letter sample.

For more detail, see how to get a SIWES or IT placement.

During the year: what to keep up with

Your logbook, every day

A year is about 50 working weeks. If you fall behind for even a month, you will find it hard to remember what you did. Write a few lines each day: the task, the tools, and what you learned. Ask your industry supervisor to sign it weekly or monthly, whichever your school asks.

See how to fill your IT logbook as a polytechnic student for examples.

Photos and notes for your report

Take photos of equipment, your work area and finished jobs (ask first, and never photograph customer details or confidential documents). Note the name of your department, your supervisor's title, and how the company is organised. You will need all of this for the report.

Supervisor visits and assessment forms

Your school supervisor may visit you once or twice. Keep your logbook ready and up to date for those visits. Near the end, your industry supervisor fills the assessment form. Give it to them early, because some supervisors take weeks to sign.

At the end: the IT letter and the report

The IT completion letter

This is a letter from the company, on its letterhead, saying you did your industrial training there, with your start and end dates and the department you worked in. It is signed by your supervisor or someone from HR. Most polytechnics ask for it during HND admission or registration.

See the IT completion letter for HND admission for a sample and the details to check.

The IT report

Many polytechnics ask for a written IT report, usually in 4 or 5 chapters: introduction, the company, the work you did, and a summary with recommendations. Because your training lasted a year, your report should describe it in stages, for example the first three months, the middle of the year and the last few months.

See how to write an IT report for polytechnic students for the format and a sample outline.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving the logbook until the last month. It shows, and your supervisor may refuse to sign.
• Not getting the completion letter before you leave. Supervisors change jobs. Get it signed in your last week, not after.
• Changing companies without telling your school. If you must move, tell your IT unit and get a letter from both places.
• Losing your documents. Scan your acceptance letter, completion letter and assessment forms, and keep copies on your phone and email.

Frequently asked questions

Is the one-year IT compulsory for HND?

Most polytechnics ask for proof of at least one year of work experience after ND before they admit you to HND. Some accept longer work experience in place of IT. Check your school's HND admission notice for the exact rule.

Is the one-year IT the same as SIWES?

It is run along the same lines and many forms are the same, but students and schools usually call the post-ND year "IT". The shorter placement after ND I is the one most often called SIWES. See SIWES vs IT.

Can I do my one-year IT in any company?

Choose one that matches your course. Your logbook, report and the HND panel all expect work related to what you studied.

Do I get paid during IT?

Some companies give IT students a small allowance for transport; many do not. Ask at the interview, and do not choose a placement based on pay alone.

Do I need a report for the one-year IT?

Many polytechnics ask for one, others only ask for the logbook and the completion letter. Ask your IT unit before you resume, so you can collect notes and photos as you go.