AS part of measures to reduce unemployment in the country, 3,000 Nigerian youths are undergoing training under the Technical Skills Development Project, TSDP, implemented by the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, in collaboration with the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA. Joseph Ari, director-general, ITF, said the TSDP was one of the initiatives embarked upon by the two organisations to drive President Mohammadu Buhari’s efforts at industrialisation and job creation.

He said the training is also a means of reducing unemployment, promoting sustainable wealth creation and instil youths with entrepreneurial and attitudinal skills through technical skills acquisition. Ari, who disclosed this in a statement signed by Suleyol Fred Chagu, head of publicity of the fund, added that‎ during the year-long programme, the participants, drawn from across the country, would be trained in 18 trades and crafts including electrical/electronic maintenance, mechanical machinery and maintenance, welding fabrication works, plumbing and pipe fittings maintenance, beverage bottle operating, information and communication technology.

He listed others as building construction, carpentry and joinery, agriculture, and agro-allied, animal husbandry, aqua culture and breeding/rearing hatchery, livestock and aqua culture feeds and fashion design and tailoring. Ari named the 18 participating organisations as PAN Learning Centre Limited, Nigerdocks Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company, Truck Masters Nigeria Limited, Lafarge Cement (WAPCO) Plc, Kamjay Farms, Ibeju-Lekki, Chi Limited, Ruff ’n Tumble and Style House.

Other centres include the ISTC, Ikeja, ISTC, Kano; ISTC, Lokoja; ITF Centre for Excellence, Jos; FSTC, Lasa; FSTC, Awka; Government Technical College, Sokoto and Benin Technical College, Benin.

Ari said it was the expectation of the ITF and NECA that the participating organisations would equip the trainees with competitive cutting edge skills for them to be immediately employed as was the case in earlier phases of the programme, stressing that it was the Fund’s firm belief that by equipping Nigerians with technical and vocational skills the rising unemployment and other policies of the Federal Government be achieved.

He added that the project was one of the several programmes that have been launched by the ITF in 2017. ITF had, earlier in the year, launched the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, NISDP, and Women Skills Empowerment Programme, WOSEP, which are targeted at equipping Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.

—  Jul 10, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT