ITF charges students on skills development

THE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has called on students participating in the training programme to see the opportunity afforded them by the organisation as a veritable avenue to improve their practical skills.

The training and development officer of ITF, Mrs Agnes Babatunde, made the call during a courtesy call on the vice chancellor of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Professor Olukayode Amund.

While Mrs Babatunde affirmed that the fund was instituted for technical and skill development of students in practical disciplines, she also warned against turning the training programme to an avenue to earn money at the detriment of the purpose for which it was instituted.

She reiterated that the allowances paid to the students are meant for their transportation to the respective places of training, as she enjoined them to use the opportunity of the training to equip themselves for their future endeavours.

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She commended Elizade University for taking the training seriously, noting that the huge amount of money expended on supervision of the industrial training students by the university is an indication that the institution has prioritised the training.

In his response, the vice chancellor, Professor Amund, lauded the motive behind the institution of the fund, stating that the country’s quest for scientific and technological development would be enhanced with the funding of skill acquisition programmes by the government.

He, however, stated that it is difficult for institutions to carve out six months from an academic session, and suggested that the six-month industrial training should be split into two with three months of the training programme observed at 200 level and the other three months observed at 300 level for a four-year degree programme; while students offering five-year degree programmes should observe the training at 300 and 400 levels.

He assured the representatives of the ITF that the university would continue to make the most use of the opportunity of the training to prepare the students for the future.