Importance of Practical Experiences to Theoretical Education

Becoming a professional in any field of life requires the right training and grooming. Some particular fields require much more academic follow up than others but the general tendency is everything requires personal efforts for perfection.

The field of civil engineering is one which needs more than the 4 walls of classroom. Touching materials, machines and other tangible aspects is very imperative for knowledge grabbing here.

As an undergraduate student in this field, we are expected to go to the laboratory and carry out different exercises to be able to compare the classroom experience and complete the understanding of certain aspects.
The University of Bamenda is yet to get Laboratories for various departments it contains. This lack of laboratories retards the studying process and in way does not complete the formation of those who do not have access to these laboratories.
Fortunately, the Civil Engineering has laboratories in different Institutions which can always grant access to strangers. This was the case of IUT-Bandjoun, an Engineering school found in the West region of Cameroon. Bandjoun was welcoming to me and my classmates.

The institution is one with some interesting views from a near by hill. Full of trees surrounding the compound, a theme for ecological preservation .

We had access to their labs for 1 week working on samples of soils, gravels, sand, cement and bitumen. The different experiments were of standard procedures required to be followed strictly in the search for required results or at least an approximate. Each day’s activities started at 8am and ended at 5pm. Everyday had new objectives to be attained.

I am so much grateful to my institution for going the extra mile in organizing the outside experience to complete my training. I was able to compare and contrast what I have been studying theoretically with practical knowledge, increasing my aptness in this activity. This equally was a spot to create connections with Engineers and students of this institution, Life is all about the people we have around us.