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Effect of SIWES Experience on Accounting Education Students’ Practical Workplace Competence in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

Students’ practical workplace competence refers to their ability to apply accounting knowledge, skills, procedures, and professional behaviours effectively in real organizational environments, while the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) provides opportunities for students to gain practical experience outside the classroom. SIWES is important in accounting education because classroom instruction alone may not provide sufficient exposure to the actual procedures, technologies, documentation, and professional expectations encountered in accounting workplaces. Inadequate practical experience may therefore create a gap between students’ theoretical knowledge and their ability to perform accounting-related tasks effectively. This study examines the effect of SIWES experience on accounting education students’ practical workplace competence in Nigerian universities. SIWES experience exposes students to practical accounting activities within organizations under real workplace conditions. During the programme, students may participate in activities such as preparation and maintenance of accounting records, processing of financial documents, use of accounting software, reconciliation of accounts, preparation of reports, filing of financial information, and basic internal control procedures. The experience also provides opportunities for students to observe professional accounting practices, interact with experienced personnel, manage workplace responsibilities, and apply classroom knowledge to actual accounting situations. Practical workplace competence involves students’ ability to perform accounting tasks accurately, use relevant accounting tools and technologies, solve routine workplace problems, communicate professionally, manage accounting information, and demonstrate appropriate workplace behaviour. SIWES experience can strengthen these competencies by allowing students to practise accounting procedures in authentic work environments rather than relying solely on theoretical classroom exercises. Through repeated exposure to practical activities, students may develop greater confidence and competence in applying accounting knowledge to workplace situations. The study will adopt a survey research design. The population will comprise accounting education students who have participated in SIWES in selected Nigerian universities, from which an appropriate sample will be selected using a suitable sampling procedure. Data will be collected through a structured questionnaire measuring students’ SIWES experience and their practical workplace competence. The data collected will be analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, while the relevant hypothesis will be tested at an appropriate level of significance. The study is expected to establish that SIWES experience has a significant positive effect on accounting education students’ practical workplace competence. Students with meaningful and relevant SIWES experiences are expected to demonstrate stronger abilities in performing accounting tasks, using workplace technologies, maintaining accounting records, solving practical problems, and adapting to professional work environments. The study may also reveal that the quality and relevance of students’ practical experiences are important in translating classroom knowledge into useful workplace skills. The findings will have implications for the teaching and learning of accounting education in universities. Greater emphasis on practical work experience may encourage institutions to strengthen the connection between classroom instruction and professional accounting practice. Lecturers may use students’ workplace experiences as learning resources by relating practical activities encountered during SIWES to accounting concepts taught in class. This can promote experiential learning and help students develop practical competencies alongside their theoretical knowledge. The study will be beneficial to accounting education students, lecturers, university administrators, SIWES coordinators, employers, accounting practitioners, curriculum developers, and educational policymakers. Students may gain improved workplace preparedness and greater confidence in performing accounting duties, while lecturers and institutions may obtain useful information for improving practical components of accounting education. Employers may also benefit from graduates who possess stronger practical skills and a better understanding of workplace accounting expectations. The study recommends that universities should strengthen the monitoring and supervision of SIWES placements to ensure that accounting education students are assigned to organizations where they can gain relevant accounting experience. Institutions should also improve collaboration with accounting firms, businesses, government organizations, and other suitable workplaces to provide meaningful training opportunities. Regular assessment of students’ SIWES activities should be encouraged to ensure that the experience contributes directly to the development of practical workplace competence. The study concludes that effective SIWES experience can significantly strengthen the practical preparation of accounting education students for professional accounting work.

Keywords: SIWES Experience, Accounting Education Students, Practical Workplace Competence, Industrial Training, Work Experience, Accounting Practice, Practical Accounting Skills, Workplace Learning, Professional Competence, Accounting Education, Experiential Learning, Workplace Readiness, Accounting Skills, Professional Development, Practical Training