The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills – Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IDEAS-TVET) Initiative Project, has trained no fewer than 80,000 youths in different skills to encourage self-sufficiency, reduce unemployment and curb youth restlessness.
The National Project Coordinator, IDEAS-TVET, Mrs Blessing Ogwu, disclosed this during the flag-off of training for a fresh batch of 900 youths, organised by the Federal Ministry of Education under Cohort 3, in collaboration with six Training Service Providers (TSPs) in Oyo State, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
Ogwu, represented by Mrs Ihuoma Francisca, said the intensive training for youths aged 15 to 35 would focus on diverse skills, including crop production and processing, with 200 trainees, and computer hardware and cell phone repairs, with 150 trainees.
Others are aquaculture and fisheries, 150 trainees; livestock farming (poultry), 150 trainees; catering and hospitality management, 150 trainees; and digital skills (computer hardware and cell phone repairs), with 100 trainees.
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She said: “Beyond institutional interventions, the IDEAS-TVET initiative has taken skills development directly to about 80,000 Nigerians including all trainees here present through Training Service Providers like this one across the country.
“Through these interventions, young Nigerians and other beneficiaries have been trained in a wide range of occupational areas including fashion design, ICT, agriculture, hospitality, construction, electrical installation, automative-related trades, welding and fabrication, phone repairs, computer maintenance, plumbing, solar installation and other market-relevant skills.”
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education in Oyo State, Abiodun Adisa, advised the trainees not to despise a small beginning, noting that with seriousness and good focus, what they consider little would blossom and become expansive.
He noted: “I started my turkey business with six turkeys but today it has grown into a very expansive business. So, don’t despise the little beginning. No one trained me but you have an advantage because you have experts to train you. You are better placed than I am.
“So, if you have the notion of running away with an excuse that there’s no job, make use of the skills. Everybody wants to be like Aliko Dangote but he started with training too.”
One of the instructors, who specialises in catering and hospitality management, Dr Folasade Adeboyejo, said: “The Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills – Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IDEAS–TVET) Programme is designed to strengthen practical skills development and improve access to relevant technical and vocational competencies.”
Adeboyejo disclosed that the programme responds to the growing need for skilled human resources capable of contributing to employment, entrepreneurship, enterprise development and local economic growth.
The instructor clarified that in Oyo State, six TSPs would deliver training across a range of practical skills with strong relevance to the local economy.
She said the first area was catering and hospitality management, where participants would develop competencies in food preparation, baking and confectionery, food safety and hygiene, hospitality operations, customer service, costing, packaging and enterprise management.
