MSc(Eng) Advanced Control and Systems Engineering (with Industry)

Igiri Onaji is currently completing his placement year at Dangote Cement in Obajana Plant, Kogi State, Nigeria as a Control Engineer (Intern). Dangote Cement is West Africa's leading cement producer with 19 million tonnes of capacity at plants in Obajana, Ibese adn Gboko in Nigeria.

Igiri spent his first three months with the Automation Unit where he gained experience using the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System used in the company and learnt how to program the Siemens programmable Logic controllers (PLCs). Based on a schedule Igiri will be moving around the various sections of the factory (Mines, Raw Mill, Kiln, Cement mill, Utility, Coal Mill and Parking Plant) to gain knowledge and experience on how instrumentation is applied in all of these areas. This involves learning how the measuring instruments are used and understanding why and what physical quantities are measured and what level of control and supervision.

Igiri comments: "My main interest is in automation, I enjoy learning how to program PLCs using STEP 7 Simatic manager and manage the SCADA system using Adaptable Control Engineering System (ACESYS) as the human machine interface (HMI). Learning in an industrial environment involves following others as they carry out their work routines and this allows me to put my learned skills in to practice."

Undertaking an MSc with a Year in Industry enables students to learn on the job whilst also developing knowledge in the area of control and systems engineering. This helps students in linking learnt principles/knowledge to relative applications.

Igiri concludes: "This area of engineering is so interesting because you get to see basic engineering principles/knowledge in real applications. Also, you get the chance to develop interest and gain experience/skills as you interact with experts and contribute to solve industrial challenges. There is a lot to learn in Industrial control, like the hardware and software used in the specific industry. In my earlier months of study I struggled with PLCs and SCADA systems but being able to physically work with them has helped me learn as I go".