United Nigeria Airlines has welcomed the first batch of 400-level Avionics Engineering students from Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) for a six-month Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) internship designed to provide hands-on industry training.
Welcoming the students, the Managing Director of United Nigeria Airlines, Osita Okonkwo, encouraged them to take full advantage of the opportunity to gain practical knowledge that will complement their academic studies and prepare them for careers in the aviation industry.
As part of the onboarding process, the students participated in orientation sessions covering airline technical operations and professional expectations. The airline’s Line Maintenance Manager, Kwabena Adoma, alongside Benle Asemuah, briefed the interns on aircraft maintenance procedures and the operational environment within the airline’s engineering unit.
The Director of Human Resources, Kelechi Asuquo, also addressed the students on workplace ethics, professionalism and the discipline required to succeed in the aviation sector.
To support their professional development during the programme, each student will receive a monthly stipend of ₦100,000 throughout the six-month internship.
The SIWES programme will expose the students to avionics systems, aircraft maintenance processes and airline engineering operations, providing practical industry experience to complement their classroom learning.
The internship initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in February between the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, and the Chancellor of ABUAD, Afe Babalola. The agreement is aimed at strengthening collaboration between academia and industry by creating structured opportunities for ABUAD engineering students to receive advanced technical training within the aviation sector.
The partnership is expected to help bridge the gap between theoretical education and practical industry skills for Nigeria’s next generation of aviation engineers.