Nigerians from different backgrounds have benefitted from a range of vocational training and capacity-building courtesy of the German the government in the last few years.

Making this declaration recently at a media briefing, the Head of the Delegation German Industry and Commerce, Dr. Marc Lucassen, said the German government has been involved in various skills-acquisition training since December 2012 in collaboration with the German Industry and Commerce, partner institutions, the Giessen-Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and several Nigerian partners specifically in the area dual vocational-training partnership (DVT) in Nigeria.

The pilot project, he added, was being financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the German development organisation “Sequa.”

He noted that the element of German dual-vocational training was transferred to the Nigerian system whilst focusing on improving the quality of vocational training provided by Nigerian companies, and by theoretical-classroom teaching combined with practical training led by a better understanding of work contexts and their applications in the long run.

He added that this would result in improved employability of the Nigerian youth, enhance quality and performance of the participating companies and better services to entrepreneurs along the value chain.

He further said that the implementation was carried out jointly with three Nigerian chambers of commerce from Abuja, Ogun, and Lagos respectively as well as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigerian German Business Association.

In his opening remarks, the Director-General Nigerian- German Business Association, Gbenga Adebija, said that the dual-vocational training was a laudable approach to encouraging manpower in all sectors of the economy to enhance growth and profitability through education.

Specifically, he said thus far, over 600 apprentices had benefited from the vocational training education supported by AHK Nigeria and IHK Giessen Friedberg.

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Echoing similar sentiments, the Managing Director, Giessen Friedberg Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Mathias Leder, said during the six-year project period, 290 apprentices from 125 companies and 310 trainers were trained.

About 50,800 days of training were carried out and 95 per cent of the apprentices were eventually taken on by the companies. Additional success  achieved by the Nigerian government was in the area of officially recognising the curricular developed within the framework of the partnership for four professions adapted to the Nigerian system: industrial electronics, industrial mechanic, technical facility management and office administration.

He further stated that from the partner’s point of view, getting acquainted with the German dual vocational training was one of the most important aspects because today they were as convinced of the respective benefits as they would like to continue with that approach.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Kehinde Awoyele, the Project Coordinator, Dual Vocational Training Partnership in Nigeria, said the partnership no doubt had further enhanced the interest of participating companies due to a selection process which guides the dual vocational training in terms of practical application of skills, and trainers and participants spanning all facet of the real sector.  And they had been adequately trained and also well-equipped in their various capacities to industry standard.

He further noted that in the near future, the Nigerian partners would be supported by both organisations, and the German Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ) by continuing to provide their combined expertise to ensure long-term success and to help the many young people in other regions of Nigeria to get a solid education and thus work placement in the industries.

The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of certificates of trust and awards for good cooperation to Nigerian partners by the Giessen-Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.