A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Hi-Impact Choice Limited, has initiated free training and empowerment for 5000 Anambra youths with digital skills.
The Chief Executive Officer of Hi-Impact Choice Limited, Impact Academy, Amb. Bright Alexander Nwakama, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Awka, the Anambra state capital on Thursday.
According to him, the Impact Academy is primarily focused on lifting the youngsters out of poverty through digital skills in the state.
“Impact Academy is undertaking the Anambra Digital Programme to empower 5000 Anambra youths through the learning of digital skills. After training, we shall provide them with employment opportunities in our partnering organizations,” he said.
Nwakama mentioned that the digital skills training is free, as Impact Academy has sponsors supporting the training globally.
He added that the training would be comprehensive, covering basic to advanced levels of video editing, website design, cyber security, and more. The program will run in batches of three months each.
“In addition to imparting digital skills, we will place the youths in various organizations where they can work and earn money based on the level of their skills. We have partnerships with Amazon and Microsoft Excel, which provide international certifications after graduation. Our certifications are recognized both internationally and in Nigeria,” he explained.
He also noted that the Anambra State government is aware of the program but is not one of the partners. The Ministry of Education and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) agency in the state have given approval to the program based on its international and Nigeria-wide acceptance.
Nwakama emphasized that Impact Academy prefers not to have government partnership as they want to run the programs steadily and continuously without interference.
The program is open to all youths residing in Anambra state, and physical training will be conducted. According to him, online training may not be suitable because beginners may find it challenging to cope with the rigor of the training.
He mentioned that Impact Academy will establish training centers in all 21 local government areas of the state to enable interested youths to attend training physically.
The program targets youths between the ages of 16 to 30 years and those above with the capacity to cope with the rigor of the training. Nwakama urged those interested to take advantage of the training to visit their website or register in person.
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The CEO also appealed to individuals and organizations wishing to sponsor the program to come forward and contribute to providing digital skills for economic empowerment to Anambra youths.