King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUMMER TRAINING

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2001


 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

                                                                                                                                    Page

 

1.         Introduction        2  

 

2.         Objectives           3

 

3.      Duration of the Summer Training Program..........    3

 

4.      Summer Training Coordinator....    3

 

5.      Summer Training Advisor...........    4

 

6.      Summer Training Examining Committee......    4

 

7.         Academic Regulations and Requirements..    4

 

8.         Registration Procedures.    5

 

9.         Withdrawal Procedure....   5

 

10.         Placement of Trainees....    6

 

11.         Obligations of the Training Organizations..    6

 

12.    Notes to Summer Training Students..........    6

 

         a.   Before leaving for training.......    6

         b.   During the training period.    7

         c.   After the training period.............    8

 

13.         Deliverables        8

 

14.    Writing the Summer Training Final Report............    8

 

15.         Evaluation and Grading..    9

 

 

 

 

 


SUMMER TRAINING IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

 

 

1.  INTRODUCTION

 

            The civil engineering science students are required to undergo a comprehensive Summer Training Program with a reputable and specialized industrial organization in or outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relevant to his major area of interest in engineering analysis, design, or construction.  The purpose of this summer training is to increase the students' practical experience and to enhance their career abilities.  Also to deepen their civil engineering knowledge acquired during their academic years through this in the field practical experience in applied industrial projects.  In addition, such a program enhances the relationship between the civil engineering department at KFUPM and the governmental and private industrial firms.  It also provides the business and industry with well-trained professionals.

 

The student is expected to spend a significant portion of the summer training period, depending on the activities of the training organization and the student's field, in the following areas:

 

-         Orientation period covering the organization, its activities, operations, etc.

-         Safety regulations and procedures

-         On the job practical training in any field of civil engineering that deals with planning, designing, construction, and maintaining public and private facilities such as buildings, tunnels, bridges, transportation systems, water and sewage treatment plants, etc.

 

The student is expected to spend his entire summer training period with the training organization abiding by its regulations like other employees.  During his summer training period the student is required to fill his Weekly Progress Report about his training activities and submit it weekly to his supervisor in the training organization for review and approval.  The student is also required to write a formal written Summer Training Report in accordance with Section 14 of this document.

 

In order to know the actual performance of the student during the training period, the number of days he spent on training, the number of absences and the number of times he came late to work, a Summer Training Evaluation Form is requested from the training organization to be forwarded to the Summer Training Program Office, Students Affairs, KFUPM, Dhahran 31261.

 

 

 

 

2.  OBJECTIVES

 

The overall objective of the summer training is to expose the student to the work environment in the field of civil engineering.  In particular, the summer training program will:

 

1)        enable the students to gain valuable practical experience,

2)        test the students' career interests,

3)        enable the students to learn more about career fields,

4)            develop the students' job-related skills,

5)            enhance the students' civil engineering knowledge acquired in class through the field experience,

6)        teach the students on how to deal with the society outside the university,

7)        enable the students to earn some income,

8)            provide the training organizations an idea about the quality of the future human resources, 

10)            enhance the relationship between the civil engineering department and public and private sectors.

 

3.  DURATION OF THE SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM

 

The qualifying student should spend at least eight weeks in a governmental organization, a reputable industrial firm, or a research center that conducts and/or is involved with civil engineering activities.

 

4.  SUMMER TRAINING COORDINATOR

 

The summer training coordinator is a civil engineering faculty member assigned by the Chairman of the department.

 

The main duties of the coordinator are as follows:

 

(i)            nominating the students eligible for the summer training program

 

(ii)            receiving the evaluation reports from the employer

 

(iii)            assigning faculty advisor to each student

 

(iv)            ensuring the submission on time of a draft report indicating the student's major weekly activities in the job.  This draft report must be signed by the student's on-the-job supervisor.

 

(v)            receiving the students' final grades from their advisors and report them to the registrar.

 

 

5.   SUMMER TRAINING ADVISOR

 

The summer training advisor is a civil engineering faculty member with the expertise in the subject of the student summer training assignment and is assigned by the department summer training coordinator in consultation with the student.  The main role of the advisor is to guide the student to write and compile his summer training final report in a professional format.  It is expected that the advisor will have frequent meetings with his advisee.  The advisor should ensure that the student submits and presents his final report on or before the end of the tenth week of the first (fall) semester.

 

6.  SUMMER TRAINING EXAMINING COMMITTEE

 

The examining committee will consist of three faculty members with the summer training advisor as a chairman and two other faculty members selected by the student in consultation with his summer training advisor.  The examining committee will evaluate the student based on the four items listed in Section 14 of this document.  The advisor will report the final grade (PASS/FAIL) to the summer training coordinator.  The examining committee should take into consideration any delay by the student in submitting any of the required documents and may penalize the student for that delay. 

 

7.  ACADEMIC REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

 

1.         The students are responsible for knowing and following the academic rules and regulations, including requirements for graduation.  Faculty advisors will assist students in planning their academic program.

 

2.         The student should not be allowed to register for any course(s) during his summer training period.

 

3.          The student must complete the summer training work before his last semester in the university.

 

4.         To qualify for assignment of summer training, the student should fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

 

(i)               complete not less than 70 credit hours (including the credit hours expected to be completed at the end of the semester prior to the training),

 

(ii)             take and pass all CE 200 level courses and at least two of the following courses (CE 315, CE 341, CE 353 and CE 370),

 

(iii)          pass ENGL 214 successfully,

 

(iv)            enroll as a student during the summer training and not been dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons.

 

8.  REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

 

1.            Registration for summer training usually starts on the last day for dropping courses without permanent record and continues until the last day for dropping courses with a grade of "W" of the second semester of the academic year.

 

2.         The eligible student should complete and submit the summer training registration form to the civil engineering summer training program coordinator for department approval.

 

3.            Approval forms should be transmitted by the summer training coordinator to the Student Affairs training program office for further action.

 

4.         The summer training program office at the Student Affairs will make necessary arrangement, and send all the registration forms to the university registrar.

 

9.  WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURE

 

1.         After the registration deadlines, dropping the summer training needs approval of the civil engineering summer training coordinator.  This approval will be granted only to students with legitimate reasons by completing the dropout form and submitting it to the summer training department at the  Student Affairs where it will be processed and sent to the registrar of the university.

 

2.         A student may be automatically withdrawn from the summer training without being informed due to any of the following reasons:

 

(i)               When the student is subjected to dismissal for academic and/or disciplinary reasons.

 

(ii)             When the student drops some credit hours during the semester preceding the training period so that the total number of the earned credit hours after this semester is less than 70 credit hours.

 

(iii)          If the student drops one or more of the department required (pre-requisite) courses before starting his training as mentioned in Section 7 of this document.

 

Note:  If the student is withdrawn from the summer training due to any of the reasons mentioned in (i) to (iii) above, his training, if completed, will not be counted.

 

3.         A grade of "WF" will be given to any student withdrawing from summer training program without completing withdrawal formalities.

 

10.  PLACEMENT OF TRAINEES

 

It is the responsibility of the summer training office at the Deanship of Student Affairs to coordinate with the organizations within and outside the Kingdom to create training opportunities for the nominated students.  A student may look for a training opportunity for himself in any organization.  However, the summer training coordinator's (i.e. civil engineering summer training coordinator) approval of the selected organization is mandatory.  The papers for summer training will be processed by the summer training office at student affairs only after the selected organization is approved by the departmental coordinator.  Finally, all nominated civil engineering students must contact the Student Affairs summer training office and/or the department summer training coordinator to finalize the administrative formalities before leaving for training.

 

11.  OBLIGATIONS OF THE TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS

 

1.         The training organization is encouraged to utilize the trainee in a job related to the field of civil engineering in design, analysis, and construction and not assign him to clerical and routine work, such as operator, translator, etc.

 

2.         The training organization is requested to provide the university with a filled evaluation form for each trainee at the end of the training period.

 

3.         The training organization should allow the university officials to visit the trainee(s) as and when required.

 

12.  NOTES TO SUMMER TRAINING STUDENTS

 

a.  Before leaving for training

 

1.         Be sure that you are enrolled as a formal student at KFUPM during the training period.

 

2.         Be sure to see the summer training coordinator to discuss your training assignment and how to prepare yourself for your work assignment and training report.

 

3.         Be sure to make a note of the telephone number of your coordinator as well as the telephone, fax numbers and the e-mail of the civil engineering department (i.e. for CE department the Fax is 03-860-2879, the Tel. is 03-860-2550 and the e-mail is c-ce@kfupm.edu.sa).

 

4.         Be sure to take the official documents from the summer training office - Deanship of Student Affairs - which include

 

·        Official letter addressed to the organization where you will be working.

·        Contact guide which has names and telephone numbers of persons in the organization where you can contact in case they have any major problems during their summer training.

·        Evaluation form to give to your supervisor at the organization.

·        The undertaking form about the commitment of all the conditions of summer training during that period to sign it.

 

5.            Be sure to report to your employer on the prescribed date.

 

b.  During the training period

 

1.         Be sure to spend all your training period (8 weeks) with the organization you were assigned to by the summer training department and should not transfer to any other organization unless it is approved by both the university and the organization..

 

2.         Be sure to send your contact address at the training firm to the university not later than the end of the second week of the beginning of training period.

 

3.         Be sure to ask for a scheduled training program from the organization you will be working with which details the activities you will be performing during the training period.

 

4.         Be sure that your training schedule is related to civil engineering.

 

5.         Be sure to obey all organization rules and regulations.

 

6.         Be sure to write your weekly progress report regularly which must include your actual experience.

 

7.         Be sure to collect all information related to writing the summer training final report.

 

8.         Be sure to remind your training supervisor to fill and send the summer training evaluation form directly to the summer training office - Deanship of Student Affairs - at the end of your training period.

 

9.         Be sure to contact your department and/or student affairs summer training office if you have any problems.

 

c.  After the training period

 

1.         Be sure to contact the summer training coordinator during the first week of the first semester following your training to consult him for selecting your advisor.

 

2.         Be sure to contact your advisor immediately to schedule a date for completing your final report within the specified deadline.

 

3.         Be sure to complete your report and prepare yourself for the presentation.  The longer you wait after training, the more distant some of your personal experiences become, and consequently the more difficult writing the report becomes.

 

13.  DELIVERABLES

 

1.         After completion of the summer training, the student is required to submit three copies of his formal written report according to the format detailed in Section 14 of this document to his advisor at least one week before the student's scheduled presentation which must be on or before the tenth week of the first semester. 

 

2.         After completion of the summer training, the student is required to submit the following materials to the summer training coordinator.

 

(i)        The compiled weekly progress report signed by the student's         on-the-job supervisor showing the major work accomplished during each week.  This should be submitted during the first week of the first semester following the training period.

 

(ii)       A copy of the final report implementing all committee corrections (if any) which is written according to the format detailed in Section 14 of this document for the department use.

 

14.  WRITING THE SUMMER TRAINING FINAL REPORT

 

The summer training report must be properly typed and bound.  Figures and Tables (if any) must be placed in relevant location.  It is the student's responsibility to follow up with his advisor and check if the report needs any corrections or modifications.

 

A suggested format for the summer training final report is given below:

(1)       Cover page which should include

 

-         University, college and department names

-         Course title and number

-         Report title

-         Student's name and number

-         Advisor's name

-         Report submission date

 

(2)            Summary of the report

 

(3)       Table of contents

 

(4)       List of figures (if any)    

 

(5)       List of tables (if any)

 

(6)            Introduction

 

(7)       Brief history of the organization

 

(8)            Summary of the project assignment

 

(9)            Technical and practical information gained during the summer training period.  This must constitute the major part of the report.

 

(10)            Conclusion and recommendations

 

(11)            References (if any)

 

(12)            Appendices (including copies or weekly progress reports).

 

15.  EVALUATION AND GRADING

 

The student will be given a PASS or FAIL grade (Pass ³ 70) by the examining committee for his summer training program based on:

 

(i)        His weekly progress report (will carry a 15% of the total grade)

 

(ii)       His summer training final report (will carry a 45% of the total grade)

 

(iii)     His presentation (will carry a 25% of the total grade)

 

(iv)            Participating organization's evaluation of the student (will carry a 15% of the total grade).