National Directorate of Employment (NDE) is partnering with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) the International Institute for Training and Economic Development (ITED), as well as the Nasarawa State government to train youths from across the 13 local government areas of the state.
NDE director-general, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, disclosed this during a meeting with Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule recently.
Fikpo said his agency has introduced a spectrum of training irrespective of one’s educational level, adding that the scheme has introduced school to work.
Stating further that the introduction of school to work is to cater for students to be able to learn skills even while at school, he noted that the importance is that today, our certificates no longer pay our bills.
“The white-collar jobs that were there before are no more. This is the truth; we must face it. What alternative do we have? It’s skills, irrespective of the class of individuals, skills are of paramount importance,” he stated.
The DG averred that the training, which is in partnership with ITED, is not only apt but convenient to the people of Nasarawa, especially that the state is a gateway to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The NDE has a spectrum of training irrespective of whether someone went to school or not. We have for graduates; we have for none graduates. We cater for school leavers, dropouts and the vulnerable. Therefore, for us, this is an opportunity for the state to take advantage,” Fikpo said.
The Leader of the delegation and president/CEO, International Institute for Training and Economic Development, Dr Sani Dawop, said the institute found out from its research that companies will spring up in Nasarawa State in the coming years and therefore saw the need to train youths to make them not only employable but employers of labour.
Dawop explained that the programme will have two approaches namely to train Nasarawa State graduates to become employable, as well as to become employers of labour.
Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, thanked both the director general of the NDE and president/CEO of ITED, stressing that his administration is giving skills acquisition topmost priority.
Engineer Sule identified the NDE and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) as institutions that propagate skills acquisition.
“NDE, ITF are institutions that I have always looked forward to for the skills acquisition idea that we have in mind. And I am happy when you say you have one particular programme or the other for everyone, even those who didn’t go to school, you have some craft for them and those with degrees without skill, you have programmes for them. Your coming to Nasarawa just as you mentioned, is at the right time,” he said.
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