The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, has flagged-off the orientation of Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBTS) of the NDE with 20 participants in Ondo State.
Mallam Fikpo, who was represented on the occasion by the state coordinator of NDE, Adelodun Olusegun Michael, said the NDE was established in 1986 to stem down the menace of unemployment and poverty, especially among school leavers, graduates of higher institutions, mature people with special needs, women and prospective entrepreneurs, artisans and craftsmen.
The director general said that EBTS had been a veritable tool adopted by the NDE through the Special Public Works (SPW) department over the years to meet its aims.
He said the scheme involves the training of recruited participants in the areas of landscaping and the beautification of various environments.
‘’ The EBTS is implemented at two levels namely: an introductory level where employability skills training in the classroom is conducted during the orientation of participants.
“The experimental learning experience transferring in hard and soft landscaping, and Plaster of Paris (POP) skills at competent level. This is offered through on-the-job training, coaching and mentoring by placement of the participants with experienced trainers who are landscaping service providers operating in the informal sector,’’ he said.
He said that the objectives of the EBTS by design, is an appropriate vehicle to implement strategic policy actions towards improving employability of the youths, closing the skills gaps through targeted skills to job training, building competent workforce of technicians and artisans and also providing the required incentives for the informal private landscaping service providers to expand opportunities for traineeship by young new entrants into the labour market.
The director general also said that the EBTS will also boost job creation and public works programmes through empowerment of some of its participants with starter packs at the end of training to start business.
‘’We are here today for the orientation of 2024 EBTS trainees numbering 20 that have been selected. The training exercise will be guided with seasoned and competent trainers that will engage the trainees for three months of intensive training in soft and hard landscaping as well as POP technology in the state,’’ he said.
He commended the Federal Government, relevant stakeholders as well as the people of the state for their support and good working relationship with the NDE .
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