The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has unveiled the first phase of its Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) program, set to commence next week with the training of 100,000 artisans nationwide.
This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the ITF to empower 5 million Nigerian artisans annually with the necessary knowledge, tools, and resources to succeed in their fields, addressing the unemployment issue in Nigeria.
Director-general and chief executive of the ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, discussed this during the Inaugural Meeting on the Implementation of the Skill Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) for Executives of Enlisted Skills Training Centres (STCs) in Abuja. He emphasised that SUPA was developed to enhance the skills and capacity of the country’s workforce.
Dr. Ogun highlighted that upskilling artisans is crucial for Nigeria’s sustainable economic development, technological advancement, and the ability to adapt to shifting market dynamics.
He explained that a curriculum has been developed for each trade with assistance from relevant sector skills councils, such as the Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (IPMN) and trade unions.
Dr. Ogun said the names of the first batch of artisans and their training locations would be published in newspapers. The criteria for selection include being a Nigerian national and having registered between January and March 15 of this year.
For those who did not register by March 15, Dr. Ogun encouraged them to revisit the registration portal. He assured that those not selected in this phase would be considered in subsequent phases, emphasising that SUPA is a long-term initiative.
Dr. Ogun also acknowledged complaints from some registrants about not seeing their names on the list, reassuring them that selection is ongoing and would be completed incrementally.
He said the ITF’s goal is to upskill Nigerians to an international standard, ultimately helping them secure jobs, adding that currently, there is a list of 20 trades available on the ITF portal.
He also highlighted that the ITF is currently forging partnerships with prestigious international awarding bodies.
He said this strategic initiative aims to ensure that certifications obtained through ITF’s training programs offer graduates a wide range of career opportunities and enhance their employability both locally and internationally.
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