How I Spent My Industrial Training

Hi, my name is Lora, and I am a student studying the professional course of Silicate Technology at one of the prestigious universities in Nigeria. This is the story of how I spent my six-month industrial training, a journey filled with disappointment, hope, unexpected opportunities, and valuable life lessons.

On the day I arrived at the organization where I had been posted to begin my industrial training, I was excited and eager to start learning. Unfortunately, my excitement was short-lived. I was told that I could not be accepted and that I had to change my placement. According to them, students from my department were not usually accepted there. They also mentioned that they would have considered accepting me, but there was no available space anymore.

To be honest, the explanation did not seem clear enough. Was it because there was no space, or because my course was not recognized for industrial training there? I never got a definite answer. However, one thing I was certain about was that if someone with strong connections had come in my place, they probably would have been accepted without any issues.

I left that day feeling disappointed, confused, and heartbroken. I kept asking myself, "Where do I even start from again?"While many of my coursemates had already settled into their training placements, I was still searching for somewhere that would accept me. It felt unfair, and for a moment, I almost lost hope.

Then, one faithful day, everything changed.

My mum told me she knew someone working in another organization. Within just a few days, the search that had taken weeks finally came to an end. That experience taught me one lesson I will never forget never underestimate the power of connection.

When I got to my new assigned place, I almost faced another rejection because, once again, they complained about having no available space. However, this time, they could not reject me because I had been sent by someone in higher authority.

As people would say, connection speaks louder.

I was assigned to the Civil and Building Department, a department made up entirely of men, except for me. My boss was also a man. At first, I wondered how I would fit in because I was literally the only lady in the department. Surprisingly, everyone welcomed me warmly. One of the NYSC members in the department even gave me the nickname "First Lady,"and from that day, everyone called me by that name.

Not long after I resumed, there was a general departmental meeting, which I attended for the first time. To my surprise, my placement became a topic of discussion. Some people argued that, because of my course of study, I should not be in the Civil and Building Department. They insisted that I belonged in the Chemical Laboratory instead.

The funny part was that the Chemical Laboratory had mostly female staff, and the department was headed by a woman. Everyone seemed convinced that I would fit in better there.

To settle the discussion, I suggested that I spend three months in the Civil and Building Department and complete the remaining three months in the Chemical Laboratory. My colleagues in Civil were not happy with my decision. They jokingly asked, "So you want to leave us already?" I simply laughed because I knew I wanted to gain experience from both departments.

The organization was a quality control company, and most of our work involved visiting different block industries to inspect the quality of sandcrete blocks and other construction materials. Most of the people we met during inspections were men. As the only female in the inspection team, I naturally attracted attention everywhere we went.

Sometimes, clients would compliment my confidence or speak politely to me, and I could tell my boss was not always pleased with the attention I received. It became one of those funny moments that made the job more interesting.

Industrial training was not always smooth, though.

One particular day, I arrived at work only to receive a query for something I knew absolutely nothing about. To make matters worse, I was also blamed for mistakes that had actually been made by my boss. Even though I knew I was innocent, I accepted the punishment without arguing. My punishment was that I would not be allowed to go for inspection that day.

Honestly, I accepted it because I thought it was over.

Then, my boss suddenly changed his mind. Looking at me, he said something that still makes me laugh whenever I remember it. He said, No, staying back won't pain her... you must go.

At that moment, I realized there was no escaping the day's work after all.

Looking back today, my six-month industrial training taught me far more than technical skills. It taught me resilience, patience, adaptability, and the importance of relationships. I learned that rejection is not always the end of the journey. Sometimes, it is simply a redirection toward something better. I also discovered that confidence, humility, and a willingness to learn can help you thrive, even in unfamiliar environments.

Most importantly, I learned that every challenge comes with a lesson. Although my industrial training did not begin the way I had imagined, it ended as one of the most memorable experiences of my academic journey.