THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ENGINEERING FINAL YEAR PROJECT

Formal education is classroom-based style of education, provided by trained teachers while Informal education happens outside the classroom, in after-school programs, community-based organizations, museums, libraries, or at home. In all Engineering degrees, students are obliged to carry out a “Final year project”. 

Helping students mature in their knowledge is one of the objectives of higher education, and this task entails much more than the mere transmission of knowledge. In particular, in the field of engineering, the future engineer is supposed to have assimilated the basic specific concepts in his particular field and have a well-formed intuition to be able to face all the problems that will come up during his future professional career. To attain this maturity and exercise this capability of facing problems, it is a common rule in all engineering that the students carry out a ‘Final Year Project’.

AIMS OF THE FINAL YEAR PROJECT

• Synthesis of knowledge
• To demonstrate the aptitude of applying their own knowledge to solve a specific problem
• To mature in knowledge
• Preparation for joining the working world

WAYS TO PROCEED

With regards to a developing Nigeria, Lecturers should be able to carry out surveys on societal engineering needs in various settlements and bring these as project topics for the students. These should be seriously considered and embarked upon by final year students with serious guidance from the teacher/supervisor assisting the student with tools and information needed to complete such projects. Groups of four to ten can be formed for tasking projects. This would help build the student as a team player, make him responsible, build his confidence and also help identify those that can be team leaders.

At completion, external interest bodies like individuals and companies could be called upon to showcase the works of the students. They can take interest in any of these projects and further help to fund such projects and mass produce for sales. This helps in looking inwards and developing Nigeria gradually.