Fifty selected youths trained and equipped to be self-reliant and employers of Labour in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and some vocational skills in Bauchi State have graduated.
The selected youths were trained by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and Bright Information Technology Academy Azare, Bauchi State.
While speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Training Manager, Ahmad Shehu Hassan explained that the training was under the Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP) of the ITF and partners.
According to him, the TSDP is a joint initiative designed to promote the availability of manpower with appropriate technical and vocational skills to meet the identified needs of industries and the economy.
Ahmed Shehu explained that “ITF-NECA TSDP is a perfect and model example of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which is leveraging on government’s efforts at addressing unemployment in our country”.
The Training Manager added that “For over 10 years, the TSDP has become a critical intervention Project, not only contributing to skills development but also to the reduction of the high unemployment rate and other social vices in Nigeria”.
The Managing Director of Bright Information Technology Academy, Azare further said that the 50 individuals were trained across four trade areas such as web design and development, graphics design, mobile application development and video editing.
He added that the program has equipped the trainees with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the increasingly technological world we live in.
Also speaking, the Director of Technical and Vocational Skills Training of ITF, Mrs Lami Dakwak who represented both the Director General of ITF, Joseph Ari, and the Director General of NECA, Mr Adewale Oyerinde, commended the resource persons that took the trainees through the last four months course, saying they had contributed towards reducing unemployment in Nigeria.
She also advised the trainees to make good use of the skills acquired and put them into practice by becoming useful to themselves and the general public as well as becoming trainers of other youths thereby increasing job opportunities.
Some of the trainees expressed happiness for being selected to participate in the training saying that it has prepared them for facing the challenge of self-realization.
They commended the initiative of ITF for putting the training together urging it to engage other youths who are roaming about the streets doing nothing just as they commended the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and Bright Information Technology Academy for facilitating the training.