From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari has unveiled four year strategic positive direction to fight the upsurge of unemployment and poverty among Nigerian youths.
He expressed joy that the previous plans have impacted positively on Nigerian economy and said the new plan is aimed at addressing the current challenges.
Ari disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing in Jos and said the strategic policy direction is the third of such plans by the incumbent administration in the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to turned out talented entrepreneurs who have become employers of Labour.
“You are aware that unemployment in Nigeria today is at over 33% as over 23 million Nigerians that are desirous to work cannot find jobs, mostly because of the absence of requisite skills. Poverty is equally on the rise with some estimates placing the number of Nigerians that are living in poverty to be over 90 million.
“In the face of all these, our population has continued to soar with the World Bank estimating that Nigeria might hit 216 million by the end of this year. Equally worrisome is the spectre of the Out of School Children, which according to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) is projected to be over 18.5 million.” He stated.
Ari explained that the strategic plan considered the need to scale up activities towards addressing the soaring unemployment and other socio-economic challenges by leveraging on expertise, expensive network, deployment of technology for wider coverage and more flexible service delivery.
He said the policy framework, “Re-engineering skills for sustainable development” has external components which entail value reorientation, Industrial Development, Commercialization of ITF Facilities, Alternative Funding Window, Deployment and Promotion and Annual Budget Preparation.
“Revenue Generation are intended to drive the external components of the new policy direction, which covers Standardization and Certification, Technical and Vocational Skills Training Programmes, Skills Intervention Programmes, Electronic and Virtual Learning and, Optimal Utilization of Skills Training Centres (STCs) and Vocational Wings (VWs).”
Ari noted that despite their commendable achievements, the Fund is set to refocus Technical and Vocational Skills Training for employability and economic growth by facilitating the institutionalization of the National Apprenticeship and Traineeship System (NATS).
“To actualize this, the Fund will collaborate with relevant public and private stakeholders for NATS; appraise and harmonize Apprenticeship programmes in line with set guidelines; conduct monitoring and evaluation and; design and develop technical and vocational skills programmes in line with the needs of the economy.
“When fully in place, our plan will ensure a pool of highly skilled indigenous apprentices, technicians and craftsmen as well as an institutionalized National Apprenticeship and Traineeship System (NATS).
“The intended outcome of this strategy is to have at least a total of 27,000 skilled and employable youths (18,000 trained youths under the NATS and 9,000 youth under the NISDP and other intervention programmes) and increased SMEs and Entrepreneurs to meet the Nation’s economic needs.”
Ari said the Fund sponsored the prize for the best MSME in leather works at the recently Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) National award under Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“The young man that clinched this award is Daniel Dung Gwom, who runs Jmofs Enterprises, here in Jos. On our part to further encourage him, aside from the car that was given to him by the Vice President Osinbajo for winning the award, the ITF will present him with a powerful 3D printer to enhance his work.” He stated.