The Industrial Training Fund, ITF, has revealed plans to convert its existing Skills Training Centres located in Lagos, Kano, Kogi and Plateau states as well as the Federal Capital Territory Abuja and the vocational wings attached to its Area Offices to hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship (e-Hubs).
The Director-General of the Fund, Mr Joseph Ari disclosed this at the 3rd Annual Forum for Innovation in African Universities in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital with the theme; “Strengthening Africa’s Higher Education in a Post-COVID-19 World.”
He explained that schools of Higher Learning in Nigeria and other stakeholders can use the hubs as incubation centres and vehicles for innovation and creativity.
Mr Ari also revealed that ITF has made a formal submission to the Federal Government for the establishment of Centres for Advanced Skills Training for Employment in the six Geo-political Zones.
According to him, “This can be used for graduate upskilling and reskilling and the overall capacity development of Nigerians in Technical and Vocational Education and Training ,TVET.”
The ITF boss stated that as an institution that places a premium on creativity and innovation, the Industrial Training Fund aligns its policy direction to prevailing global trends and government policy thrusts.
He said, “one such policy and vision review is our current policy direction tagged: Re-Engineering Skills for Sustainable Development, which gave birth to the institutionalisation of the National Apprenticeship and Traineeship System (NATS).”
“NATS is a globally accepted scheme to optimise apprenticeship and traineeship and to ensure a seamless transition between formal and informal education and will inevitably lead to the full adoption of National Skills Qualification, which will greatly enhance interaction between industries and academia.”
“Although, not an exhaustive account of innovations that we have embarked upon over the years, it is suggestive of the direction that the ITF is willing to take to ensure that innovation and creativity are institutionalised and entrenched in our system,” Mr Ari added.
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