Students of the Department of Welding and Fabrication at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, are fabricating more than 100 seats for the institution’s Osisioma Campus as preparations continue for the phased relocation of academic activities.
The project involves students producing furniture from scratch, allowing the polytechnic to deploy technical skills developed through practical training towards meeting its infrastructure needs.
Rector of the institution, Kalu Okoro, disclosed this in a statement announcing the ongoing fabrication work, although he did not specify when the project commenced or when the seats would be completed.
The initiative comes as the polytechnic works to expand academic operations at its Osisioma Campus, where the School of Environmental Design and Technology began academic activities .
The extent to which the project will reduce the institution’s furniture procurement costs remains unclear, as the management did not disclose the estimated cost of production or the amount that would otherwise have been spent purchasing the seats.
The fabrication exercise also involves students undergoing industrial training within the institution.
“Six students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and one female student from the Business Administration and Management programme are undertaking a four-month industrial training placement with the Welding and Fabrication Department”.Okoro said.
The students are expected to defend their industrial training reports in February 2027 after completing the programme.
The project highlights a practical application of technical education, with students contributing to the institution’s infrastructure while gaining experience relevant to their fields of study.
