Emmanuel Adeyemi,
Lokoja
The Direction General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Sir Joseph Ari has called on Nigerians to embrace vocational and technical education so as to reduce the unemployment rate in Nigeria saying white-collar jobs are no longer available for the teeming unemployed youths.
The DG also urged all Nigerians irrespective of age to also embrace Information Computer Technology (ICT) related studies, adding that technical education is the “currency of the future” even as ITF in conjunction with NECA donates 25 computer sets and other items to mopa technical college
Giving me administration during the inauguration of the ITF/NECA- Nigeria Employers Consultative Association “Technical Skills Development Programme (TSDP), at the Government Technical College, in Mopa, mopamuro Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Tuesday, said that the era of waiting for white collar job was gone for good.
He said that the ITF in conjunction with NECA is currently in partnership with no less than twenty four organizations, including Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN), Nigerdock and Ruff and Tumble, in alignment with President Mohammadu Buhari’s national industrial thrust policy.
He added that the same policy dictated why the ITF took it upon itself to equip as many Nigerians as it can, “with the necessary technical skills, which is now the currency of the future, and that is why the ITF is leveraging and aligning with the policies of President Mohammadu Buhari , on industrialization and technological expansion”.
Unveiling 25 units of HP model mounted computer sets, printers, scanners, photocopiers, machines, repair tool kits, industrial standing fans and a 25KVA generator among others, at the Government Technical College, Mopa, Ari noted the challenge “we have in the private sector is getting skilled medium and low employees”, “but that with what we are doing here today, such a problem will not arise here”.
At Amuro Community Secondary School, Aiyeteju, Mopa Amuro, 30 trainee graduands under the “Passion to Profession Programme (P2PP), were presented with starter packs, including industrial sewing machines, catering equipments and welding machines.
Those at the events included the DG of NECA, Mr. Timothy Olawale, who was represented by the Manager (Abuja), Nike Ajala and the facilitator of the training programme and ITF’s Director of Finance, Omolola Gbadamosi.