From Hwollaza village
to the lecture hall
Beginnings: NYSC and Early Career
Prof. Ihom began his working life in 1991 as a National Youth Service Corps teacher at Adiabong Girls Secondary School, Ikot Imoh, in the Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, teaching mathematics, physics, and chemistry.
From 1993 to 1995 he served as a Graduate Assistant at the Institute for Christian Studies, Mkar, Benue State, preparing pre-degree students and teaching technical education courses including engineering drawing and foundry technology.
Between 1995 and 1996 he managed Abdos Tractor Hiring Company, overseeing tractor maintenance and routing, while teaching foundry technology part-time at the Benue Institute for Management and Technology, Mkar Gboko.
Fifteen Years at the National Metallurgical Development Centre
In 1997 Prof. Ihom joined the National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos, as a Metallurgical Engineer 1 in the heat treatment and foundry section, researching foundry raw materials, casting techniques, ceramics, refractories, and glass products.
He rose steadily through the ranks — Senior Metallurgical Engineer (2001), Principal Metallurgical Engineer (2004), Assistant Chief Metallurgical Engineer (2007) — taking on increasing administrative responsibility along the way, including training attachees on industrial placements.
During this period he was sent to Japan for industrial training, attending the 17th International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering Congress (IFHTSE) in Kobe in 2008. By 2010 he had become Chief Metallurgical Engineer and Head of the Heat Treatment and Foundry Section, a post he held until 2012.
University of Uyo: From Senior Lecturer to Professor
Prof. Ihom joined the University of Uyo in September 2012 as a Senior Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department, teaching and supervising at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015 and to full Professor in 2018, within the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.
Alongside teaching and research, he has held a series of administrative roles at the university, including Departmental Postgraduate Coordinator, Faculty of Engineering PG Coordinator, Acting Head of Department, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.