Speaking at the commissioning of international vocational-technical and entrepreneurship college (IVTEC) in Ajase Ipo, Kwara state on Tuesday, the vice president condemned importation of skilled artisans from neighbouring West African countries into the country, saying that Nigeria has a high number of talented youth with aggressive mind to succeed in trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship.
Vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, said that the country had, before now, lacked technical centres tailored around existing talents of Nigerian youth and needs of the country.
The vice president, who said that the federal government would see to it that the college was replicated across states in the country, added that the vision for the establishment of the college tallied with the agenda of the Buhari administration of producing all we consume in the country.
He, however, said that Nigeria needed an industrial base to maximise potential and talents of the youth for optimal local production, adding that Nigeria should tap into the potential of Nigerian youth for greater change in the country.
Professor Osinbajo, who described the IVTEC as one of the major important projects any government could undertake, said that the college was tailored around exact needs of the society, particularly with partnership with notable international organizations like the City & Guilds, London, Alfred State college if technology, US, University of Wolverhampton and Praxis Atlantis among others.
“The vision of the college to give the right type of skill and international certificate that will enable graduates to work in any part of the world is commendable. The partnership with international organizations will also make graduates saleable to the benefit of the country”, he said.
The vice president, who called on other states of the federation to emulate Kwara state on the project, pledged assistance of the federal government to ensure that the college was replicated in all parts of the country.
Earlier, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said that the vision to establish the College was to equip youths with skills for self-reliance, tackle unemployment, and easy access to vocational training of international standard for students from a variety of skills and educational backgrounds.
“Globally, Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training has been identified as critical to growth, especially industrialization. As you are aware, Nigeria’s previous experimentation with technical education has faulted in the face of neglect and an expanding gap between the schools’ curricula and the needs of the economy.
“Indeed, we are already partnering with the World Bank to train 17,000 youths identified as vulnerable in the state, starting with an initial 80 students.
Regardless of educational background, IVTEC will prepare students for the globally-renowned City and Guilds of London qualification, National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) certification and other vocation-specific qualifications.
City and Guilds of London certification are especially critical to our efforts to economically empower our youths as holders are employable locally, nationally and internationally.
To adequately prepare students for their vocation, graduating IVTEC students will be further trained at five incubation centers across the three senatorial districts of the state where they will be exposed to mentorship and real-life business situations.
They will thereafter be clustered into vocation-specific cooperatives and provided access to affordable credit to start or expand existing businesses under our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) scheme.
On graduation, students will also be designated as Master Artisans and be in the vanguard on our determination to reverse the trend where carpenters, painters and builders and other tradesmen are imported from neighbouring countries instead of engaging people locally.
This is even more alarming in view of the high rates of youth unemployment in the country.
Determined to reverse this trend, IVTEC’s curriculum was designed in partnership with the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to ensure that the skills taught here are those required in the local and national economy.
In consonance, our resolve is to make Kwara State a net exporter of vocational and technical skills once local needs have been met and thus make our country the hub of vocational skills in West Africa.
To achieve these aims, a strong management structure is required. We have put in place a robust ownership and partnership arrangement to ensure the college’s long-term sustainability. Though established, owned and promoted by the Kwara State Government, IVTEC is operated as a stand-alone organization which is governed by a board of trustees comprising professionals in relevant fields.
Already, the college is leveraging global partnerships with companies, universities and international organizations to ensure sustained operations and insulation from fluctuations in government priorities.
This will ensure the school can benefit from a variety of private, local, national and international collaborations. Our emphasis in this regard is already yielding results with several globally-renowned companies and organisations indicating interest in partnering IVTEC.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, cutting-edge Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training such as we aim to provide here, is expensive.
Saudi Arabia, for example, is investing over One Billion Pounds in the provision of about 40 Vocational Colleges across the kingdom to train its target of 400,000 youths by 2023.
On our part, we have invested approximately N3.2 billion on campus construction, furniture, fittings, partnerships, basic training equipment and tools here at IVTEC. An additional N13b is however required to cover IVTEC’s expansion plans in the next 5 years. We, therefore, seek the partnerships from local, national and internal bodies so that we can upscale IVTEC to the level envisaged as its establishment.
Mr. Vice President Sir, distinguished invited guests, what we are witnessing today is a testimony of the present Administration’s unalloyed commitment to guaranteeing a bright future for our teeming youths.