The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in collaboration with Nigerian Breweries PLC on Thursday unveiled 165 graduates from the 2023 National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held in Abuja, the minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, commended the graduates on their determination to complete the programme.
She stated that interventions such as the NISDP will contribute to the effective implementation of the Federal Government-driven National Artisan Registration and Development Programme (NARDEP) and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP).
The minister said both policies are expected to deliver one million service export jobs over the next five years; increase foreign exchange earnings and revenue for Nigeria; create and stimulate the growth of ancillary industries and support services and; improve skills amongst others.
She expressed delight at the collaboration between ITF and Nigerian Breweries PLC. The minister was represented at the event by a director at the ministry, Opaoluwa John.
She said: “The Federal Government believes that NARDEP will drive the actualisation of the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), which is expected to deliver one million service export jobs over the next five years; increase foreign exchange earnings and revenue for Nigeria; create and stimulate the growth of ancillary industries and support services and; improve skills amongst others.
“It is also hoped that it will serve as a special purpose vehicle to position Nigeria as a leading global hub for service export, talent sourcing and talent export as well as address the unique needs and challenges faced by the talent and service sector industry.
“Emphasis will be placed on enhancing competitiveness, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth through trade in the services sector. The government equally believes that with a highly youthful population and over 1.7 million graduates from our tertiary institutions joining the workforce each year, we have the potential as a nation to provide high-quality talent for the Global Service export and outsourcing industry”.
On his part, the Director-General of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said the major goals of the agency include youth empowerment, job and wealth creation especially for women and the youths.
According to him, ITF has trained about five hundred thousand women, youths and persons with disabilities since inception, with 6670 beneficiaries’ graduating in 2023 alone. The ITF boss was represented at the event the graduation ceremony by a director at the agency, Olasupo James.
He said: “The National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), which graduation is taking place today, is a transformative brainchild of the ITF that is implemented to fast-track the achievement of the Federal Government policy on job and wealth creation.
“It focuses on skills acquisition to create jobs to curb the rampant unemployment situation in the country and breed a new generation of entrepreneurs to transform the economic landscape of the country. I have been informed that since its inception, the NISDP has equipped over 500,000 Nigerians nationwide with cutting-edge skills in various trades”.
“This year, the NISDP and the ITF-Nigerian Breweries National Youth Empowerment Programme were implemented, training 190 Youths and Women who were equipped with skills in Solar Power Installation, POP and Painting, Hair Dressing/Beauty Care, Ladies’ Wig Cap Making, Mobile Phone Repairs Leather Works (Shoe and Bag Making) and Electrical Installation”.
Ogun continued: “As an Institution, our commitment to skills acquisition is based on the fact that it is the most sustainable solution to combatting unemployment, reducing poverty and youth restiveness in the country. It is universally accepted that any society that neglects the development of its human capital is bound to retrogress in terms of growth and development.
“In Nigeria, the situation is especially worrisome as even in the face of existing vacancies in several sectors of the National economy, as revealed by surveys conducted by the ITF and other organisations, youths roam the streets without any form of gainful employment giving rise to crimes and other social vices that bedevil our dear Nation today”.
Representative of NBPLC, Folasade Morgan, said NISDP 2023 formed part of the company giving back to society.
She expressed confidence that the 3-month training which youth in states such as Ebonyi, Kebbi, Lagos and the FCT benefitted from has set them up for success.
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