One thousand five hundred youths have been marked for a three-month training in digital skills in Abia State organised by the government in partnership with Learnfactory Nigeria.
The state’s commissioner for Sports and Youths Development, Nwaobilor Ananaba, said this at Eziama Nvosi at the flag-off ceremony of training for 40 youths from Isiala South/North local government areas of the state.
“Digital skills are essential in the 21st century for many reasons, including: career readiness, education, everyday life, social connection, critical thinking, and innovation,” he noted.
“This programme which will last for a period of three months has started in Abia South, precisely at Aba. Our intention is to spread it across the three senatorial districts of the state.”
Ananaba, who lauded Learnfactory for the partnership, charged the youths “to take this training seriously to make the best out of it, for your own good and for the good of the society.”
In a remark, his counterpart of the ministry of Science and Technology, David Kalu explained that the training would empower the youths for life and to contribute to the development of the state.
He encouraged them to strive for excellence as well as ensure that at the end they would come up with initiatives that would provide solutions to local problems in the state.
Similarly, the mayor of Isiala Ngwa South, Nnadozie Nwogwugwu, represented by his deputy, Vivian Obilor, said the training would tackle unemployment and make the youths relevant in the global digital economy.
He urged the beneficiaries to approach the programme with seriousness and dedication and thanked the governor, Alex Otti “for his deliberate efforts in human capital development.”
Earlier, the chief executive officer of the partner, Chibueze Ukaegbu said the training includes website development, digital arts and animations, artificial intelligence, data engineering among others.
Ukaegbu, who commended the government for its role in the partnership, urged the youths “to make judicious use of the opportunity to become empowered.”