The Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, has flagged off its Skill Empowerment and Development Centre (SEDC) to enhance the quality and capacity of manpower of graduates from the institution.
Director Southeast zone of National Board For Technical Education (NBTE), Dr Ngozi Okelekwe, who inaugurated the centres in Mgbakwu near Awka, Anambra state capital, described it as one of the best among its peers.
Okelekwe congratulated the institution for being one of the beneficiaries of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) of NBTE.
She said trainees would receive skill-based certificates known as national skill qualification after undergoing stringent quality assessment procedures.
She said the federal government had identified 25 skill gaps which were role specific under TVET and called on Nigerians youths to key into the programme.
Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Njideka Rita Chiekezie, said the opening of SEDC was another addition to the growing profile of the institution.
Chiekezie said the objective was to produce graduates with one degree and two skills in line with the 1Youth 2Skills initiative of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration.
She said the certificate would be NBTE certified and applicable anywhere in the country while welcoming the partnership offer from the Anambra state government.
She said the facility has eight skill sets including Cosmetology, Welding/Fabrication, Bakery/Confectionery, Media/ Photography ICT/Solar Installation, Block Moulding/Brick Laying, Tailoring/Textile and Green House Technology.
“We are happy that the Commissioner for Youth Empowerment has said that they are ready to partner with us in the area of the startup pack,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Patrick Aghamba, Commissioner for Youth Empowerment applauded the institution for expanding its scope of vacational training and encouraged the management to align with his ministry to enjoy the accruing benefits.
Aghamba said the 1Youth 2 Skills empowerment programme of the Anambra state government had been endorsed by the federal government and proposed for implementation across the country.
He said the programme not only armed youths with skills but also provided them with start up packs to enable them contribute to the society and create wealth.
“I encourage you to come to the ministry and see what we are doing in our 1Youth 2Skills programme and align with it.
“If you work with you, your student can benefit what our trainees benefit, they will stand a chance to get start up packs,” he said.
The Commissioner for Education Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, represented by the Director Higher Education in the ministry, Dr Oyibo Alor, congratulated the institution and called on students to key in for self-reliance and wealth creation.
Director SEDC of the polytechnic, Mr Ugochukwu Odogwu, encouraged students to take their training seriously as there were qualified resource persons and assessors to train and certify them.