The Internship Experience
Ademola Toheeb Adeniji
CNRS PhD Candidate | Sodium-Ion Storage | Materials Chemistry
LECTURE TRANSCRIPT
Delivered on 17th OF February, 2019 at the Informed Intern Online Group, FUTA, Akure
BY
ADENIJI, ADEMOLA TOHEEB
Hi everyone,
All protocols are duly observed.
My name is Adeniji, Ademola Toheeb. I am a final year student of Chemical Engineering Department, LAUTECH Ogbomoso. As a final year researcher, I currently work on Waste Water Management using Adsorption and Nanotechnology. Right from my first year till present, I have ranked the top 1% of my class. I am a recipient of various scholarships from petroleum and telecommunication companies. God's willing, I look forward to furthering my education abroad in Advanced Chemical Engineering.
On this note, I must say, I am happy to be here and I will like to commend the brains behind this platform. You guys are doing a super fantastic job, most especially my good friend - Jimoh Basit whom I knew from 2013 via Facebook, and ever since then, he has never been short of promising. Hopefully one day, we can meet at Heathrow airport.
Before I elucidate, I will like to say you guys are lucky to have me here, I am never the best, however, this stems from the fact that I want to engender my experience or story as the case may be and for every individual story, there is always a glimpse of uniqueness.
Without beating about the bush, I was told to share my experience and as such I will indubitably and vehemently do it to the best of my knowledge. My discussions will be based on some dropdowns or indices as the case may be.
Oh yes, I am super excited.
My Perception about SIWES
The Student's Industrial Work Experience Scheme was put in place to give you and me an opportunity through which more knowledge can be gained and to also give an ''eye view'' of one's chosen career.
More importantly, it prepares us for work situations we are likely to come across after graduation coupled with providing an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge into real-life situations, thereby creating a ''hand-shake'' between theoretical university work and practical experience.
Being a chemical engineering student is one that is challenging and delphic to me, nothing other than the rigorous coursework and the abstract nature of some of the courses. Even very few lecturers have seen certain unit operations equipment that is to tell you why getting an industrial experience is imperative and I am very sure this applies to other departments too.
My Approach to Getting Internship Placement
It is a common ideology among Nigerian students that students should not move closer to their lecturers or have any form of relationship with them because the consequence is appalling and abysmal. If you are harboring that kind of notion, I am exhorting you to renounce such intent. For those of us that are interested in having a degree outside the shores of this country, you will indeed need a recommendation letter of at least a page from those lecturers.
So please tell me, is it possible for a lecturer to write something about a student whom he has no form of relationship??Even though if he does write it, the content won’t really reflect who you are, such a lecturer will only adopt and table generic words. A good exemplar is ''Ademola is a good student and he is very honest and trustworthy" as against '' I have known Ademola right from his first year and over the years, his academic excellence and enthusiasm to take on a task with paying much attention to details have marveled me, such is when he...'' I hope we can spot the difference.
The inside life to it is that be prepared to run frustrating errands. I could recall moments where I will trek a long distance in the hot sun just to complete a task for a particular lecturer. It was exasperating at first but it never deterred me. I am intentional in my want and as such, I am always ready to pay the price that comes therewith.
With that being said, I plied my trade of getting internship placement by engaging my lecturers in my search. In less than two days, I already got connected to two field workers in oil and gas. I talked to them and I was told to send my Cover letter and CV. After a week I received a call to start already in a Petroleum Servicing Company, Delta State and the other told me to visit him in Ibadan. The only bottleneck to the situation was Accommodation. I know no one in Delta state and I had to give up the chance and my search continues.
I also applied online for available openings on internship from shell, egbin power plant, chevron, all of which I was still expecting a reply on the progress of my applications. I did not stop there.
My other weapon in getting a worthwhile internship placement was through the use of my senior colleagues. One attributes I so much love about myself is humility. Being humble is a trait you need to get the information you will not come across like the usual Cabin Biscuit.?I was fortunate to relate with the senior colleagues that once had their internship at addax petroleum. When I discussed my situation with them they were really ready to help. What they requested from me was just my Name, Email, and Phone Number as I don’t have to go down to Victoria Island myself to submit my IT letter. A current intern did the submission on my behalf and after a week I was called for Aptitude Test Assessment by the almighty Dragnet.
Addax Internship Examination
As a student who has written over 15 undergraduate scholarship examinations with most being facilitated by Dragnet. I was very positive about passing the aptitude test. On the exam day, we were tested on Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Abstract Reasoning. Though the abstract was recondite with ephemeral timing, however, I was able to answer as much as possible.
Quantitative Reasoning section contained Word Problem, Maximum and Minimum Point, Percentage Profit and Loss, Ratio, Time and Work, Surd and Geometry.
The verbal Reasoning section contained Comprehension Passage, Synonyms, Antonyms, Word Analogy, and Spellings.
Abstract Reasoning section contained Critical analysis of shapes and lines following a certain trend.
Recently, they added essay writing to their exam. I was called the next day that I have been accepted alongside other six (6) students.
My Journey to Victoria Island
Victoria Island is a super fantastic place to be, a serene environment that houses most of the Lagos state elite. I am always thrilled walking in the street, seeing aesthetic buildings and comely autos. Within me, I really want to come back there to work upon graduation. I love it.
About Addax Petroleum
Addax Petroleum is a subsidiary of the Sinopec Group, one of the largest oil and gas producers in China, the biggest oil refiner in Asia, and the third-largest worldwide. Addax Petroleum was founded in 1994 and has evolved from a young pioneer into an established international oil and gas, exploration, and production company focused on Africa.
Addax Petroleum Development (Nigeria) Limited has 4 oil fields.
1. OML 124 (onshore)
2. OML 123 (offshore)
3. OML 126 (offshore)
4. OML 137 (offshore)
Addax Petroleum is made up of Technical and Support teams.
?Technical Teams
1. Asset (Reservoir Engineers - Petroleum Engineers, Geologist, Petro physicist, Technical Planning - Petroleum Economist)
2. Drilling (Mechanical Engineers, Petroleum Engineers, Well Completion Engineers)
3. Facilities (Process and Chemical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Materials/Metallurgical Engineers)
4. Production (Chemical Engineers, Production Chemist, Maintenance Engineers)
Support Teams
1. Community Relations (Project Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Lawyers)
2. Finance (Accountants, Tax Accountants, Budget Officers, Invoice accountants, Hydrocarbon Accountants)
3. SCM (Supply Chain Management - Petroleum Engineers, Mechanical Engineers)
4. Logistics (All Engineering Disciplines)
5. Security
6. External and Government Affairs
7. Legal and Admin
8.0 HSE (Health Safety and Environment – Doctors, Safety Engineers and Chemical Engineers)
9.0 MIS (Management Information System – Computer Engineers, Computer Scientists & Network & Hardware Engineers)
Department of Primary Assignment
As a Chemical Engineering student, my expectation was to be placed in the technical team, however, I was assigned to Logistics Department and I struggled in my first month of the internship because it was not in line with my course of study. Other engineering interns posted to support departments like me were having the same issue too. One major bottleneck is the fact that my departmental staff already entrusted me with important tasks like;
I didn't earn all these tasks just because of my spoken English or Grade Point Average; it was a result of my high proficiency in EXCEL. There was a staff in SCM (Supply Chain Management) that always run to my desk for analysis because of how well my bosses have spoken about me with my technical and excel skills. I delivered his KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for him that he gave me the nickname "MY TEACHER".
There is particular research on human ways I do every day and I only think through it and it led me to this conclusion - it is what you paint yourself as that people take you for. I had to at first meet with some cool-looking staff in the technical department and I explained my predicament, who I am, and what I am to learn. From there I was able to fix classes for myself -twice a week. I duly informed my departmental staff about my fixed classes and they yielded. The first hurdle crossed!
Experience Gained & OML-124 Field Visit
The second hurdle was very tough and here is why. Maybe it is a tradition or an unwritten law that goes on state that supports interns is likely not be allowed to go the field and that has always been the case. I have spent three months already trying to read about Petroleum Technology as it applies to the reservoir, production, and facilities, and drilling.
I really wanted to visit one of addax fields but I don't know how to ply my trade. I discussed it with my supervisor, of which he said I will have to discuss it with the manager that he has the hegemony of endorsing my field trip. How will I convince this tough man? Albeit, he is a very good man as he gives me stipends and buys me food.
I summoned the courage and informed the manager about it; he only responded that I should keep reminding him. In my heart, I perceived this won’t be coming soon. I continued with my usual classes with the technical guys and we had a general class where we were grouped and given topics to present the following week. After the presentation that week, what kept on crawling in my mind is the visit to the field. There was this day while I was thinking of how well to remind the manager, something struck my mind. The presentation slides which my group presented – I attached it in an email reporting my progress of learning, I sent the mail to my supervisor while I copied other members of staff and of course the manager.
Few minutes after the delivery of the mail, the manager called me to his office and on getting there I saw him going through the slides. He was very excited that I have learned all of those and also presented that. He immediately told me that “Toheeb let me send your field visit mail to the production manager. He typed it in my presence and the rest is history.
The first time I will have an air ticket
The first time I will travel in air
First time I feel proud as an engineer with NNPC crested coverall.
First time 4 armed soldiers will be my convoy. Super fantastic!!!
I spent two weeks on the field where I was able to learn about
1. Process Flow
2. Process Control
3. Production Process
4. Production Chemistry
5. Valves, Compressors, Pumps
领英推荐
Challenges & How I overcame them
The challenges I faced during my internship were;
Stress Management
Waking up every day in the early hours of the day is not my thing if I don’t sleep early. We all know how crazy Lagos traffic can be. I leave home around 5 am and return often around 8 pm and the cycles continue like that for 5 days. It was my first time to such kind of lifestyle and it often left me very tired on getting home and weakens me. I was able to placate and mollify the situation by sleeping in the staff bus at the back because my route bus contains few staff and as such, I have free space. The free 1hour sleep while returning from work or going to work does get me going again and I love that.
Excessive workload
As an intern, it is normal to want to show people how good one is by amassing a lot of tasks for yourself. I didn’t know I was only killing myself. I was not accustomed to saying NO. I was always accepting them as they come while I refuse to inform them I already have worked at hand.
My advice is that you don’t have a choice but to be like that because you don’t know who is who. But as time goes by I am sure you will be able to cross your T’s and dot your I’s, on whom to flag his/her work.
Conclusion
I met a lot of fantastic people, one which you and I will never find in our street, I must tell you. I was able to create a good connection and made fantastic friends. I will like to implore everyone never to stop believing that nothing is impossible. You can always be what you wish to become.
Advice for Prospective Interns
?1. Learn to work with your fellow intern.
2. Ask questions from people. Go to that length of asking the same question from different staffs because will surely have a different approach to it.
3. Be honest and don’t steal. Please don’t steal anything. I repeat, please don’t take what’s not yours.
4. Never be in any caucus with staff or co-intern. Be neutral.
5. Ask questions. Yes, I am repeating it.
6. Enjoy yourself.
General Advice
1. Be Very Prayerful
2. Don't Wish Anyone Bad
3. Help People
4. Respect People
5. Be Humble
6.?Give People Gift
7.?Be Ridiculously Intentional in what you want
8. Don't settle for less
I have made my research about people who have always in their life care about other people; God has always been blessing them in one way or the other.
For indeed those are the surest ways to buy GRACE for yourself which people called LUCK.
Thank you.
Questions and Answers
Question 1: You said when you got the call for the internship; you were placed in Logistics which was out of your course line. In the long run, you were useful in that same department. That implies that before you got even settled for an internship you already had foresight about MS excel and that implies self-development right?
Answer: Yeah. You are very correct. Microsoft Excel skill is required in all organization. With this knowledge, you can fit in any data processing department.
To add to this, please before you go for IT, try and develop yourself on Microsoft office packages, at least Word and Excel. It would be bad if you can't type brethren. The least required of you is typing or scanning documents.
?
Question 2: Please sir, I would like to know how you were able to do all this analysis without having any idea about it from the initial start because it's not even related to your discipline.
Answer: Your knowledge of basic math is enough
Some of the analysis features
Graphs, Basic Math Operation, %Increase and Decrease, Cost Comparison
Also, explanations will be given. But much of the work will be done by you.
Question 3: U said special classes were design for u guys, was it on your interned assignment or on your quest to foster
Answer: Quest to foster. They have over 200 staff. So it is easy to quickly cling to one or two as mentors
Question 4: Thanks for the effort. My question goes thus: how were you able to deal with the accommodation issue
Did you stay with any relatives??Because I'm dealing with that issue now
At that same VI
Answer: My friend brought me to stay with his family. Just try to reach out to people. I am sure there would light at the end of the tunnel.
Question 5: 2 u said no forming caucus. Is it with other interns or staff and why?
Answer: Caucus forming is bad for my country's people... It may put you in difficult situations.
With both. There are interns that formed groups and claiming to like particular staffs than the other and all those frivolous talks. Forming a group already makes you appear that you have nothing to do and as such staff might not take you seriously or entrust you with something serious.
[2/17, 7:40 PM] Jimoh Basit: I understand this??
Ensure you form a caucus with the right set of people, not the other people.
[2/17, 7:41 PM] +234 812 235 9970: If I don’t see one better of me to relate to. I don’t see how easy it will be to gain knowledge
[2/17, 7:41 PM] +234 817 337 7476: Sometimes fate will put you in some kind of unhealthy caucus. Please try as much as you can to disengage from such.
[2/17, 7:44 PM] +234 814 919 6342: Caucus as in group clique..... Group of people that gossip and talk about all sorts of stuff that are unimportant
Question 6: In your helping the staff in doing their job is there any that made it look like you were under the obligation of carrying out these tasks and even being bossy alongside. If any, how did you handle it and how will you advise us to handle it?
Answer: It depends on the staff that is bringing the job to you. If it is your departmental staff you have no choice but to disburse that particular task because that is your KPI (Key Performance Indicator) and must be done accordingly. If it from staff from other departments you have to let them know how occupied you are and the deadline of submission of your current task.?All this must be said with smiles.
It came to a point where my bosses were not comfortable with me helping other staff from another department. But things now seem easy as they now speak on my behalf for outright rejection.
Question 7:Please can you explain points 7 and 8 of the general advice. Especially point 8. How can you not settle for less as an intern? As opposed to this, we are made to think we are at the mercy of the company that employed us where we have to stretch beyond what we can do sometimes
Answer: Settling for less in this regard of the internship is based on what you want to achieve at the end. I think @Jimoh Basit already highlighted something about that.
Do you just want to collect money and smile home or you want to compliment that with a worthwhile experience? In those big companies, you can spend a whole 6 months in your departments and not know what they are doing in the next. Spreading tentacles and maximizing every available opportunity to learn is paramount.
Question 8:where u picked based on the apt test merit or the availability of the job for u
Answer: Picked on the merit of course. We were around 70 that wrote the test.
Question 9: I wouldn’t know if you know any recognized bioscience firm with such benefit u got from addax
Answer: Oh, I omitted the HSE department. You can intern in the department too??????
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For contact and Information
Mail: [email protected] m
Phone: 08109820988
WhatsApp: 08109820988
LinkedIn: Ademola Adeniji
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