By Felix Khanoba
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has perfected plans to commence a three-month youth training on 8 vocational skills .
Speaking at the formal ceremony to herald the training programme in Abuja on Monday, Director General of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, said the scheme was brought about following a visit by NCDMB delegation to ITF model skills training centre recently.
According to the ITF boss, the training would go a long way in ensuring the nation’s economic growth through skills acquisition.
He said , during the first phase of the programme, two hundred and fifty four unemployed youths were trained and empowered with start up kits.
The DG, who was represented by Mrs. Yinka Shodunke, head Corporate Planning at ITF further explained 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 the 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 utmost 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.
On his part, thee Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, noted that the training is second in series as the last one which took place last year had 254 youths trained and equipped with the necessary skills needed to improve their capacity.
Represented by Dr. Ama Ikuru, the General Manager Capacity Building of NCDMB, Wabote said it is worthy of note that the training has yielded positive results as over 60% 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 the 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 refrigeration maintenance, mechanical services and maintenance.
Others are Electric/Electronics technology, mobile phone repairs and troubleshooting and Information/Communication Technology.
