I started looking for answer to this same question after suffering from the trials and errors of several roadside mechanics.

But when I typed it on Google, I was directed to Nairaland where I found that the question was asked before by Awkabigboy sometimes in December 2021. You can find it under the link below:

https://www.nairaland.com/6892238/why-dont-mechanical-engineer-graduates

Unfortunately, after going through the comment sections, I noticed that the answer has not been clearly stated for a layman to understand.

I noticed how some mechanical engineering students were attacking the OP saying that their job is to build and maintain cars. Most of them said that it's the job of technicians and craftsmen to fix spoiled cars.

Then I asked myself, since mechanical engineers are not designing or building anything in Nigeria, why not join the technicians in fixing cars?

What is the essence of the SIWES and ITs they undergo during studies?

No doubt, virtually all Nigerian academic curriculums need revamp as far as practical application of knowledge is concerned.

But I was wondering, could it be that our mechanical engineers are not understanding what they're being taught to be confident enough to at least fix minor issues?

Please I need sincere response from our mechanical engineers in the house!

Nigeria mechanical engineer graduate wey no fit commot ordinary plug?

There are many reasons.
1. They were not well taught
2. They want to own car plant like innoson
3. Owning a machinic shop is condescending for them
4. They don't know the job, road side technicians are better than many machinic engineers.

A mechanical engineer is not necessarily an automotive or automobile engineer

portacabin:
A mechanical engineer is not necessarily an automotive or automobile engineer

Good, same way an electrical engineer isn't necessarily a building service or power engineer. People asking these questions need to know the breadth of these disciplines.

I believe this question was asked out of limited information.
I graduated as a mechanical engineer over 15 yrs ago, during my 5yrs study we never did any course on Automobile.
Mechanical engineering is a very wide course of study, Automobile and Aeronautical engineering are amongst the least aspect of Mechanical engineering.

There is thermodynamics, Fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mechine design, strength of materials, materials engineering, maintenance, built engineering, Refrigeration and air-conditioning, control engineering, production engineering, etc.

So you can see that there are a lot of more important branches of mechanical engineering with wide industrial applications than to narrow someone to set up a workshop for car repairs.

It is not an issue of pride or lack of knowledge, mechanical engineering is beyond what you think.

paulavon:
I believe this question was asked out of limited information.
I graduated as a mechanical engineer over 15 yrs ago, during my 5yrs study we never did any course on Automobile.
Mechanical engineering is a very wide course of study, Automobile and Aeronautical engineering are amongst the least aspect of Mechanical engineering.

There is thermodynamics, Fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mechine design, strength of materials, materials engineering, maintenance, built engineering, Refrigeration and air-conditioning, control engineering, production engineering, etc.

So you can see that there are a lot of more important branches of mechanical engineering with wide industrial applications than to narrow someone to set up a workshop for car repairs.

It is not an issue of pride or lack of knowledge, mechanical engineering is beyond what you think.

Thanks for enlightened them.
Mentality so low that once you are a mechanical engineering student, you are a mechanic lol...

From observation, engineers don't function in isolation from other fields as they are always bringing out machines that do specific tasks within other non engineering fields.
The average university graduate of engineering isn't suppose to go straight into practice after earning a first degree They are taught fundamental principles that will enable them to go on to master smaller fields in deeper details, and then design, or more appropriately, engineer system that are reliable.
They poor judgement from non engineering people also helps drive them away from trying to build anything with what they have. In the university, as dictated by supervisory bodies like NUC, engineers aren't to hit the lab and start drilling holes or casting or even molding parts. They go to the lab, where a technician employed for setting up apparatuses and demonstrating basic principles of science, guides them through practical demonstrations. All the knowledge acquired are largely to be built upon before going on to design real systems. Most of these knowledge's are even introductory at first degree level. Switching from theory based preparation to technical practice is like trying to replicate all the praticals a polytechnic graduates goes through in a very short time. It is just too harsh to expect miracle from so little.

paulavon:
I believe this question was asked out of limited information.
I graduated as a mechanical engineer over 15 yrs ago, during my 5yrs study we never did any course on Automobile.
Mechanical engineering is a very wide course of study, Automobile and Aeronautical engineering are amongst the least aspect of Mechanical engineering.

There is thermodynamics, Fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mechine design, strength of materials, materials engineering, maintenance, built engineering, Refrigeration and air-conditioning, control engineering, production engineering, etc.

So you can see that there are a lot of more important branches of mechanical engineering with wide industrial applications than to narrow someone to set up a workshop for car repairs.

It is not an issue of pride or lack of knowledge, mechanical engineering is beyond what you think.

most people assume engineering is like accounting where you practice with N1.500 calculator and some print outs. The average Mercedes Benz car contains thousandsbof parts made by hundreds of manufacturers. Between the factory in Germany where the designs are concieved and laid down and those hundreds of parts manufacturers is where the engineering takes place. Afterwards, it is largely a technicians job until it is scrapped as metal.
Also to note is the fact that engineering is a race that involves adopting the latest technology to deliver up to date products and if you fail to adapt, then you will be consumed by competition. This means you either adopt the most expensive tools and equipment or remain in theory phase of engineering indefinitely.

You are not well informed about Engineering disciplines. Automobile is not even a major part of Mechanical Engineering. Fixing cars is a work of technicians; Engineers do not do such. This is not a matter of pride or ego. Like food chains in ecosystem, Engineering also has its own chain. The chain is as follows: Engineer----Technologist----Technician----Craftsmen. Of course, it's an advantage if a mechanical engineer knows how to repair cars, but trust me, it's not a 'crime' if he doesn't know how to. An engineer will understand the design, the materials used, and the working principle of engines and how they can be maintained.
Being a mechanical engineering major, there are many areas you could branch to. Some of which are Maintenance Engineering, Production Engineering, HVAC, Offshore Engineering, Tribology, Material Science, Nanotechnology, Automobile Engineering, Aeronautical Engìneering, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, Control and Instrumentation, Power Plant/ Energy Generation, etc.

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