The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) have graduated 54,603 highly skilled technicians under the Technical Skills Development Project (TSTP).
The Director-General of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, made this known during a world press conference and signing of MoU with participating organizations in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
He explained that the TSTP is a joint initiative of the two agencies.
“Its overarching objective is to promote the availability of manpower with appropriate technical and vocational skills to meet the identified needs of industries and the country, while also seeking to provide employable and entrepreneurship skills to youths to address skills needed in the country.
“It also aims to promote Technical and Vocational — skills development for economic growth and development; demonstrate to policymakers a functional and result-oriented model for employability and job creation; promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through strategic intervention in Technical Colleges, and set standards and monitor adherence in the implementation of the project,” he stated.
The Director-General said ITF and NECA adopted a robust but compact management structure that has not only guaranteed its effectiveness but also ensured its efficiency and numerous achievements.
“From mere six participating organizations that trained and graduated 285 highly skilled technicians when it commenced in 2010, the project today boasts of having supported fifty-nine participating organizations and technical colleges with machinery and technical equipment, while also graduating 54,603 highly skilled technicians that are either employed in corporate organizations or have become entrepreneurs that are employing others,” Sir Ari noted.
He highlighted some milestones the project achieved to include upgraded 10 Federal and State Science & Technical Colleges through the supply and installation of modern training equipment and tools; donated modern and state-of-the-art equipment, tools and consumables to participating organizations, thereby expanding the training capacity; It also constructed and renovated training workshops for six Government Technical Colleges.
“Despite its many achievements, the TSDP, like many other noble, timely and impactful programmes and interventions is not without its share of challenges.
“These challenges include but are not limited to funding, as technical and vocational skills training is capital intensive; high rate of unemployed youths that the project cannot absorb; lack of awareness and citizens’ perception of technical skills as being inferior to formal education and infrastructure deficit.
“While these challenges have limited the potential of the TSDP Project, we firmly believe that with stronger support from all critical stakeholders, the project can potentially become a major antidote to unemployment, youth restiveness, low disposable income,” Sir Ari added.
Director, Learning Development and Project, NECA, Celine Oni, said the Memorandum of Understanding signed by 30 participating organizations is to ensure global standard training for trainees to enable them compete globally.
“The role of the participating organizations is to direct beneficiaries of this project such that they receive funds to cover tuition, lunch and stipends for the number of trainees they take into their centres,” she stated.
