Preparation of Industrial Training Report

• Data Collection
• Material Selection
• Report Layout
• Communication
• Presentation
• Approval
• Assessment
• Topics
• Conclusion

The report must deal with work actually done by the student while in industry and his/her observations of the application of professional knowledge and skills in the industrial environment.

It must give evidence that practical experience and technical knowledge has been gained to supplement and consolidate the formal course material discussed on Campus.

A pass is not gained by merely spending the required minimum periods in approved employment. It must be earned by a convincing report showing clearly that the student has thought about what he has been doing, related it to the general situation, and developed some ideas on how improvements could be made.

A good performance is expected even under difficult circumstances.

Industrial Training is a requirement of the degree to ensure professional recognition by such bodies as Engineers, Australia.

1. Data Collection

Notes should be compiled on a day-to-day basis to permit later assembly and editing of material.  Communication aids such as charts, flow-sheets, sketches, diagrams, photographs, etc. should be prepared and collected to illustrate the text and eliminate the need for long descriptions.

Drawings, schedules, or catalogues made available by the employer may be in the Appendix and may be listed and referred to in the report when appropriate.

2. Material Selection

The body of the report for Industrial Training should consist of 15-20 pages of double-spaced type on A4 paper.  If more than one period of training is done at different places the report may cover all the periods or just concentrate on one period, provided it is the major part of the total training.  Record of Industrial Training forms must be provided for all periods and must total 60 days.

It is obvious then that a good deal of editing and selection of material for inclusion will be required and this forms part of the exercise. Do not submit a longer report than required as a reduction in mark may result.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE FULL DETAILS OF THE WORK YOU ACTUALLY DID IS INCLUDED IN YOUR REPORT. 

3. Report Layout

Every report should be designed to permit the reader to quickly assess it for points of interest and direct attention to the detailed discussions on these aspects.

In the case of industrial training reports, a suggested arrangement is as follows:

1. Title page
2. Report summary or abstract clearly stating the number of days of employment
3. Acknowledgments
4. Table of contents
5. Introduction
6. Body of report
7. Conclusion
8. References
9. Appendices

The summary must be brief and tell what, where, by whom and for whom, and for what period the industrial training was done.

Acknowledgments must always be made of any special consideration shown by the employer or of individuals toward the student during the training period, or in compiling the report.

The introduction should prepare the reader for the specialised descriptions in the report. It may cover the firm's place in industry or the community, or stress certain problems that are peculiar to the organisation, or be just a purely historical approach.

Selected topics under appropriate headings should be discussed in the body of the report. Particular jobs can be analysed from technical and social viewpoints, to illustrate the student's increased understanding of engineering.

The conclusion is used to express general impressions or suggestions for improvements that have been foreshadowed in the body of the report and to summarise the benefits accrued by the student during the training period.

4. Communication

The report should be an effective communication with readers of general engineering experience, but without specialised knowledge of the processes or fields discussed.

Clear, logical expositions, in normal technical English, are required without specialised jargon, or colloquialisms. Do not be “conversational”.

Where possible, descriptions or discussions should be illustrated with simple diagrams and sketches, highlighting the basic features involved. 

5. Presentation

First impressions are important and the report should be neatly bound using spiral binding with large sheets folded carefully into the appendix for convenient reference by the reader.

Objective revision of the content from the point of view of the reader is important and any spelling errors, poor expression, or inconsistencies in the text should be corrected. Try to get a friend to read your completed manuscript if possible, to test its impact and clarity of expression.

6. Approval

Before submission to the University, the report must have been submitted to the employer for their approval.

A formal statement by the employer must appear on the title page, certifying that the report has been seen and approved.

Also have the employer complete the appropriate section of the Record of Industrial Training form.  Staple this form inside the cover of the report; do not bind it with the report.

This is best done before you leave the employment, so that you should have the report completed prior to the end of the training period. Set yourself a deadline at least a week in advance and prepare the report progressively towards the end of the training period, so as to achieve this timing.

Deliver the completed report to the School by the end of the second week of Semester 1 or Semester 2.  Place it in the assignment boxes outside the General Office, on the first floor of the School.

Reports will be available for collection by students later in Semester 1. Failure to submit a report will mean a withheld result in the course (MECH4001).

Reports not collected will be held for six months and then destroyed. 

7. Assessment

Reports will be graded:

To arrive at such a grading, the following marking guide will be used:

1. Presentation (30%)
   General selection and logical arrangement of material, spelling, English expression, effective use of illustrations, neat handling of material in Appendices.
2. Content and Quality (50%)
   Evidence of skill and thought in fact collecting and observation with critical analysis. Discussion of pertinent issues leading to reasoned conclusions. Calibre of tasks undertaken and successfully concluded. Discussion of benefits obtained from training. It MUST detail your experiences and what was done during the period.
3. Originality and Initiative (20%)
   Skill in exploiting work situations that are not ideal for maximum benefit in training. Fresh approaches to accepted situations and success in following lines of original inquiry.

We fully realise that all job situations will not be equivalent and, for this reason, we think it only fair that the result should not influence the overall course mark. Like most activities, the benefit gained is proportional to the effort put in, so it is in your best interests to prepare a good report which can be taken to interviews for jobs as a summary of your experience.

8. Topics

To assist you with the report, here is a brief checklist of topics that should concern you as a professional in training. (Do not use these as headings in your report!) 

8.1  The Business

History; associated firms; ownership; place in industrial scene; management organisation; product range and output; capital investment; profit; turnover; sales organisation—local, overseas; prospects.

8.2  The Factory

Layout; provision for expansion; location relative to raw materials and product consumers; transport facilities; process water supply; waste disposal; fuel and power sources; pollution problems; amenities; welfare; security; safety programs.

8.3  The Job

Work you do and what thoughts and impressions you have; need for improvements, attitudes to change and suggestions; discussions; industrial relations.

8.4  The Technical Aspects

Process flow sheets; details of major items of plant and buildings; production rates and capacities; modern or outdated equipment; quality and quantity control systems; supervision; production problems; bottlenecks; materials handling facilities; plant utilities—power, steam, water, air; storage facilities; automatic control systems; maintenance facilities; materials selection; corrosion; vibration; noise; vessels; pumps; piping; compressors; gearboxes; heat exchangers; conveyors; presses; furnaces, etc.

Applications for University studies material; need for treatment of new study areas to fit current situation and new developments.

8.5  The People

This is an area in which you must be discreet and diplomatic and learn to be a good observer.

Class of workforce; backgrounds and training; their attitudes to work, supervision, other employees and groups; effect of incentive schemes.

Communication with management.  Look at unions—decide for yourself on issues in debate and see how your thoughts compare.

How do you get on with workmates?  How will you deal with them as a technical professional?

Observe how disputes arise and are resolved.

Observe industrial relations, human nature in action and resolve to be objective, sincere, concerned, helpful, hard but fair and sympathetic when there is good reason. 

9. Conclusion

I hope this handout aids in the preparation and presentation of your Industrial Training Report.

Work hard, observe, think, find out all the things you don't know and come back to University intent on finding out even more.

Dr Maruf Hasan
Industrial Training Coordinator