1,230 Youths For Digital Skills At Veritas Varsity

Veritas University, Abuja, has launched a digital skill training project for over 1,230 young Nigerians, equipping them with cutting-edge digital skills essential for success in today’s rapidly evolving global economy.

The project is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education, under the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) with the Innovation Grant Facility (IGF) as one of its components with funding from the World Bank, as a member of the International Development Association (IDA).

It aimed at training and certifying trainees in basic computer appreciation, computer hardware maintenance and networking, cyber security, data science with Python, and full-stack web development.

It offered three- to four-month face-to-face intensive training and a one-month internship and mentoring opportunity for all trainees.

At the project’s flag-off and business pitching at Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Hycinth Ichoku, said the participants who distinguished themselves were drawn from across the country and would be considered for employment at the end of the training.

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Ichoku, who was represented by the deputy vice-chancellor, Very Rev. Prof. Sasa Michael Sunday, said, “The ministry of education is ready to create jobs for qualified participants and seek ways to employ them. This is good news, as we have many young people who are redundant.”

Also, the project leader, Professor Gabriel B. Egbe, said Veritas University’s journey in the innovation grant started when it joined 450 other private organisations to attend the initial launch of the Innovation Grant Facility (IGF) in 2022.

“After the launch, 188 organizations submitted proposals, of which 119 were screened as eligible for evaluation. After critical evaluation of various submissions and site visits for inspection, 14 organisations were successful and invited for the contract and MOU signing ceremony in September 2023.

“It was after that rigorous and competitive process that Veritas University, Abuja was proudly announced to be one of the 14 private organizations that will run the digital skills innovation project as a pilot.

“We gather today to flag off and celebrate after receiving the first of the five tranches in December 2023. The Project implementation started in February 2024.

“It is important to note that the Project was conceived to provide young Nigerians with cutting-edge digital skills that will help them fit into the current and emerging digital economy globally. Specifically, preference is given to females, People with Disabilities (PWDs), the unemployed and underprivileged,” he said.

At the end of the training, it is expected that trainees would have acquired sufficient digital skills to be gainfully employed or to be self-employed as well as ability to work seamlessly either remotely or onsite in the chosen digital skill.