Kaduna Governor, Senator Uba Sani has flagged off the construction of the State Vocational and Technology Skill Acquisition City in Igabi local government area of the State.
He said when completed, the City will train and certify 400 trainees every quarter and 1,600 trainees every year in 19 different vocations.
Speaking while performing the groundbreaking on Saturday, the Governor said the City will be replicated across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the training schedule, which is based on the federally endorsed Nigerian Skill Qualification Framework, is aimed at bridging the gap in human development from 23% to 46% by 2030
According to him, “During our campaign and upon assumption of office, we promised the people of Kaduna state of human capital development to enable our youth compete globally. We carried out a skill gap assessment and found out that there are areas of skill deficiency. Jobs to be handled by our people in business concern is given to foreigners because of skill deficiency. There is urgent need to re-skill and up-skill our youth to make them employable.
“The Kaduna State Vocational and Technology Skill Acquisition City is a digital skill project that offers Microsoft Cisco for international certification, oil and gas welding and certification, articulate vehicles driving, refrigeration and air conditioner, automotive, mechatronic, catering, welding, tiling, solar power installation, aluminum fabrication, fashion and design and masonry.
“The City will train and certify 400 trainees every quarter which means 1,600 trainees will be graduated annually. The project has the potential of transforming Kaduna state into a IT and vocational technology hub. Kaduna state would become a leading knowledge economy in Nigeria.”
The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje represented by NBTE Director, Abbati Mohammed said they are at the City to support the laudable initiative of Governor Uba Sani.
“We had the approval of the Federal Executive Council to implement the Nigerian Skill Qualification Framework certified to national and international standard and this is what the Kaduna State Vocational and Technology Skill Acquisition City is going to train our youth towards. The skills will be work related and help them to be workers and employers.”
The City, according to the builders, would have 16 workshops, four dormitories, classrooms, administrative block, registry, clinic, cafeteria, kiosk, delivery, basketball court, football field, mosque, generator room, two outdoor public toilets and parking space.
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