ENSEA/ACE: Student internships management, ENSEA procedure is a case study in Abuja.

The Director of ENSEA of Abidjan led a panel on the evening of February 25 on student internships management within the framework of the workshops of the African Centre of Excellence (ACE) project.

How does ENSEA manage to enable all its students to carry out their internships ?

To this question, Dr. Hugues KOUADIO answers that it is a tradition that has been perpetuated for years. The school has forged many partnerships with companies, whether public, private or international, and the competence of the first students received by these companies is so satisfactory, that these very companies keep on asking for new trainees. Also, the school’s graduates who hold positions of responsibility facilitate the organization of their cadets’ internships, but above all they follow up on the choice of themes and the writing of dissertations. As for the students who would have particular choices of companies, the school accompanies them in their process. Also, it will be necessary to add the support of part-time lecturers who are professionals in their respective fields and who facilitate the integration of graduates. To all this, we must add the existence at ENSEA of a secretariat in charge of the management of internships and relations with companies.

Indeed, at ENSEA, internships are an integral part of student training. After a 2-month internship in a company where they put into practice the outcome of their training, the students write a thesis to be defended at a public presentation in front of a jury. Each year, about 150 internships are organised by the school.

After the presentation, the discussions revolved around three questions: :

1. What staff resources are needed to facilitate internships
2. How does the Centre work with advisory councils and sector stakeholders to identify internship opportunities?
3. What support does the Centre provide to students to facilitate successful internships?

The representatives of the centres of excellence present, made contributions for better internship management  in ACEs.