UI to start Diploma in Automotive studies

The Distance Learning Centre, Mechanical
Engineering Department, University of Ibadan
(UI) and Mag Ben Technology are to kick-off a
diploma programme in automotive studies.
Its Director, Distance Learning Centre, Prof Bayo
Okunade, said this during its matriculation.
He said: “Early next year, we want to start a
diploma course in automotive studies. We
started with 32 students; now we have 262
because of the evidences from the past
participants and we are hoping that the fifth
batch will be larger."
Okunade, who said the programme was
introduced to produce competent workmen,
added that only competent students stand a
chance of gaining admission.
"This programme has received good turnout
since its inception because we make sure they
(graduands) are competent. At the end of their
programme, our students are not given
certificate of participation, but of competence.
After this batch, we are going to a higher level;
those of them who have prerequisite can go for
diploma.
"In this country we lack competent work men
who would give value for money. So, we thought
we should retrain our mechanics, carpenters,
bricklayers instead of having to import
equipment. We want people, who can execute
the project and at the same time give customers
value for money. This is fourth batch and there
will be another one before the end of this year.
The lectures are received at different locations of
the country while practical are done at various
workshops. They are taught in formal ways,"
The Managing Director, Mag Ben Limited, Mr
Gbenga Agbana, said the programme has helped
to reduce unemployment and enhanced self-
reliance for graduands. He reiterated the
commitment of the group to ensure that quacks
in the auto business are educated.
He said: "We have 10 centres; yet there are
hundreds of Nigerians still patronising quacks.
People and organisations can afford to spend
millions on their vehicles; but who are the people
handling these vehicles for them? Quacks! So, we
saw that the only thing we could do is to train
most of these people in auto technics and to
make sure they are capable of handling the
machines.
UI Deputy Registrar, DLC, Mr Kehinde Oladiji,
congratulated the matriculants for making use of
the opportunity extended to them by the
institution. Two of the matriculants Messrs
Michael James and Ganiyu Oladimeji, expressed
confidence that the training would move them up
the next level.
"My friends who came for this programme never
remained the same. So, I also wanted to move to
higher level," James said.
Oladimeji, another student who joined the
automobile profession in 1994, said he enrolled
for the programme in order to be conversant
with latest vehicles.