For John Drambi, a beneficiary of the North-East Development Commission’s (NEDC’s) Digital Vehicular Diagnostic and Maintenance Training programme, the sky is the starting point.
Drambi was one of the trainees selected from the six states in the northeast region under the umbrella of the National Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), who embarked on intensive vehicular diagnostic and maintenance training three-sponsored by the NEDC,
Essentially, the training was designed to empower, equip, enable and provide access to a specific group of young people who have hands-on skills in vehicular diagnostics and repairs.
Chief Instructor, Engr. Saminu Haladu, had urged the participants to organize a step down training at their various garages for other automobile technicians to benefit. Good enough, some of the trainees were given starter packs.
One of the beneficiaries of this all-important training is John Drambi. In an interview with LEADERSHIP at his garage in Yola, he said it has made him a master trainer in the automobile mechanic business.
Speaking to our correspondent at his workshop located, behind Lamido cinema, Bekaji in Yola, John Drambi, 43, said he has more than 20 years’ experience as a mechanic but the short training by NEDC has expanded his horizon and has left an impact in his life that he will not forget in a hurry.
The father of six said he depends on his mechanic work to provide shelter, school fees and even support his parents who live at Bazza village of Michika.
He lauded NEDC for shaping the future of automotive servicing and maintenance, especially with the modern starter packs, distributed to the beneficiaries of the program.
He however urged the Commission to partner relevant stakeholders in resuscitating the eight skills acquisition centres in Adamawa state to boost the overall drive of addressing unemployment especially among the youths.
Drambi who confirmed that he stepped down the training to others, noted that “I have trained 10 boys. The major challenge for now is for those we trained to benefit from the same gesture we benefited.
“This will go a long way in providing jobs for the youths and address the issue of restiveness in the state.
Drambi disclosed that one of his colleagues, Muhammad Taliban, introduced him to the opportunities offered by the NEDC.
“Taliban submitted my name for the program, and I was invited to attend the training at Digital Bridge along Fofure road in Yola” Drambi said, adding that the experience he got from the training has changed his life and made him a master trainer in the automobile mechanic business.
Before the training, Drambi is skilled in only the mechanical aspects of repairing Mercedes Benz cars, but after the training, he combines both mechanical and electrical and looks forward to having another training to learn car body work (painting) to better his experience.
He added that with experience gathered during the training, more customers patronize his workshop. “I get like 10-15 customers daily”
Interestingly, Drambi has stepped down the training to those learning the work under him, to qualify them to be master trainers.
He lauded NEDC for shaping the future of automotive servicing and maintenance, especially with the modern starter packs, distributed to the beneficiaries of the program.
When asked if he has suggestions to make to the NEDC, Drambi said ‘they should conduct more training for mechanics to cover 21 LGAs for more youth to benefit.
Drambi called on the NEDC to attach some financial support to starter packs, to enable trained mechanics to have funds to rent workshops and erect pavilions to engage more apprentices.
He thanked the commission for issuing out trade test certificates to those that attended the training, adding that the certificates can guarantee them as drivers/mechanics in any government and private institutions, when employed.
The training is one of the numerous youth empowerment packages by the NEDC as part of measures to support youths of the six northeast states and make them self-reliant all in a bid to address the restiveness in the region and alleviate economic deprivations occasioned by years of insurgency.
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