By Ayoni M. Agbabiaka
Federal Capital Territory Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (FCT SURE-P) in collaboration with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced orientation training for over 1, 000 youths as part of its National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).
The two days orientation programme which kick started yesterday at the Dame Patience Jonathan’s Youth Support Centre in Nyanya, Abuja, witnessed a large turn-out of youths that would be trained for three months in different industrial development skills such as plumbing, tiling and PoP.
According to the organisers, the programme was designed to address the current paradox in Nigeria, where on one hand many youths are unable to find jobs, while on the other hand, industries claim they have jobs available but cannot find people with requisite skill to fill such vacancies.
In his remarks, the FCT Coordinator of SURE-P, Mr. Isa Ari, described the training as another milestone in achieving middle level manpower in the Federal Capital Territory, adding that FCT SURE-P is out to achieve the best for the residents.
Ari called on the trainees to come out with the best during and after the training, adding that the batch was one of the numerous programmes designed for unemployed youths in the territory.
Earlier, in his her remarks, Director General and Chief Executive of Industrial Training Fund, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, said the development of relevant industrial skills was one of the most critical issues facing the country.
She said the emphasis on skills development globally is increasing as “employable skills” which are practical and immediate skills needed by industries in the market place.
She said the development of relevant skills was one of challenges facing the nation today, stressing that such neglect had contributed to the high rate of unemployment.
According to her, “it becomes clear, that when there is skills gap in the economy, growth in labour and productivity are hampered and unemployment rate remains high.”
Chukkas-Onaeko affirmed that the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), which was the driving force of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP), was initiated to provide technical vocational skills training and entrepreneurship development to Nigerian youth.
She revealed that since 2012, ITF has trained 37, 000 youths in various industrial skills, adding that the essence of the programme was to make youths self reliance in the society.
FCT SURE-P Project coordinator, Mr. David Gende, said the trainees were drawn from the six area councils of the FCT, just as he urged them to develop positive and rightful attitude throughout the 3 months duration of the training.
One of the trainees to be trained in tiling, Miss Nancy Bitrus, who spoke to journalists shortly after the orientation exercise expressed confidence in the programme, assuring that she would come out better in a male-dominated skill.
