The National Directorate of Employment, NDE, has commenced the training of 630 unemployed youths in Anambra state, South-East Nigeria on various vocational skills.
The training would be in two categories which are Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme, B-NOAS, and Advanced National Open Apprenticeship Scheme, A-NOAS, with 420 and 210 beneficiaries respectively.
Addressing the beneficiaries at the orientation ceremony in Awka yesterday, the NDE State Coordinator, Mrs. Chika Ufelle said that B-NOAS is a scheme through which the unemployed youths both male and female are recruited to acquire marketable vocational skills for decent job opportunities.
She also said the trainees under A-NOAS are designed for artisans who graduated from B-NOAS with an aim to upgrade their skills to higher levels of competence.
The State Coordinator further said that those attached with B-NOAS would be trained in Computer Appreciation, Fashion Designing, Satellite Dish Installation, Electrical Installation, Hair Dressing, Catering.
Other areas include Interior Decoration, Mat/Basket weaving, Beauty therapy and Welding/Metal fabrication, among others.
She noted the two training would last for a period of 3 months at which the beneficiaries are expected to acquire these marketable skills and improve on their competence.
According to her, “They will be paid a monthly stipend during these months to assist them in transportation.
” The implementation of these schemes in the past has recorded huge success as regards set targets and goals.”
In his remarks, the Director General of NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, represented by Mrs. Agnes Ogbaga urged the participants to take and utilise this rare opportunity to develop independently.
” You must get yourselves busy with your hands and establish yourselves to become employers of labour,“ Fikpo advised.
