DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEBSITE FOR ALLOCATION OF SUPERVISORS TO SIWES STUDENTS (A CASE STUDY OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

ABSTRACT The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is an essential component of tertiary education in Nigeria, designed to expose students to practical industrial experience. Effective supervision is a major factor in determining the success of the programme. However, many institutions continue to allocate SIWES supervisors manually, a process that is time-consuming, error-prone, and often results in uneven workload distribution. This study developed a SIWES Supervisor Allocation System aimed at automating and improving the assignment of supervisors to students based on parameters such as department, geographical location, supervisor capacity, and area of specialization. The system was designed using a design-and-development methodology supported by data obtained from SIWES coordinators, supervisors, and students through interviews and questionnaires. The proposed system features modules for student data management, supervisor profiling, automated allocation, and report generation. The implementation of the system provides a reliable and efficient platform that minimizes human error, enhances transparency, reduces administrative burden, and ensures fair distribution of supervision responsibilities. The results demonstrate that automation significantly improves SIWES management by facilitating timely supervision, accurate allocation, and effective communication among stakeholders. The study concludes that adopting an automated allocation system will strengthen the SIWES programme and recommends further enhancement through mobile integration and real-time tracking features.