By Godfrey AKON
A total of 100 youths across the country are set to be trained in 8 vocational skills by the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB.
Speaking at the kick off ceremony of ITF-NCDMB partnership on the training scheme in Abuja, the Director-General, Industrial Training Fund, Sir. Joseph Ari, said the programme emerged when NCDMB delegation visited the ITF model skills training centre recently.
Ari stressed the importance of the training to drive economic growth through skills acquisition, adding that during the first phase of the programme, two hundred and fifty-four unemployed youths were trained and empowered with start-up kits.
A statement by the fund said the DG was represented by at the event by the Head of Corporate Planning at ITF, Mrs. Yinka Shodunke.
The ITF boss noted that “through the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the fund, some of the graduands are today gainfully employed or are entrepreneurs that are even employing other people.
“If Nigerians are equipped with the necessary skills, they will be better disposed and well placed to take advantage of numerous policies of the federal government designed to boost economy and improve the standard of living of Nigerians.
“The MSTC have achieved some giant strides and so far, ensured the assembling of ITF Mobile phone by the centre with plans on the way to mass produce for the market and drive innovation in Nigeria,” he said.
The ITF Boss further urged the trainees of this phase of the programme to take outmost opportunity of the three months training so that by the end of the three months training, they would have acquired the necessary skills to be employable and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, noted that the training is second in a series as the last one which took place last year had 254 youths trained and equipped with the necessary skills to improve their capacity.
Wabote, who was represented by the General Manager Capacity Building, NCDMB, Dr Ama Ikuru, said it is worthy of note that the training has yielded positive results as over 60 per cent of beneficiaries from the last phase are now entrepreneurs.
He said the training is designed for beneficiaries to succeed as entrepreneurs which is why most of the emphasis is on skills acquisition.
“Each year the Board trains over 2,000 Nigerians in different training skills either through direct interventions or through collaborations and as at 2021 the number has moved to 3000 and more is hoped to be done in 2022.
“The Human capacity training programme has been tailored to meet specific demands of required skills in the country and it is aimed at complementing federal government’s efforts in job creation,” he said.
The eighth vocational training skills programmes include Building Technology, Industrial automation and mechatronics, residential air conditioning and refrigerating maintenance, mechanical services and maintenance, Electric/Electronics technology, mobile phone repairs and trouble shooting and Information/Communication Technology.
