News: Nigeria, Singapore Graduates 30 Trainees - ITF

Nigeria's aspiration to join the league of 20 industrial-ised nations of the world has been boosted by the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, which recently graduated 30 trainees in Abuja.

The first batch was trained in electronics and computer networking, and information and communication technology (ICT) in collaboration with Singapore in order to contribute technologically to the nation's economic drive.

ITF DG, Dr Juliet Chukkas Onaeko in her address, said 97 trainees were accepted in August 2011 out of which 30 were trained at the centre, Model Skills Training Centre, MSTC, Abuja. The remaining 67 would be trained in the near future.

"The ITF on its part is evolving new areas of approach to enhance the relevance and quality required of commerce and industry. New competencies are being developed in many areas including vocational and technical training, information, and communication technology (ICT) and entrepreneurship development.

"ITF approached the Federal Government and got approval to collaborate with the Institute of Technical Education, Education Services, ITEES, Singapore to set up MSTC to pursue a holistic approach to technical skills development in the country".

According to the DG, "the centre is shaped with the mission to create opportunities for school leavers and adult learners to acquire employable skills, knowledge and values for life-long learning and self-help in a competitive global economy.

As the economy restructures itself and moves from labour-intensive to capital-intensive and now knowledge-intensive, the Abuja MSTC is designed by the ITF to ensure that our human capital acquires the relevant skills, knowledge and values responsive to the changing needs of school leavers, industry and community for sustainability and national development.

"Plans are in place to establish 38 industrial skills training centres and six centres for advanced skills training. Six mobile training workshops have also been acquired and are waiting to be commissioned.

"The MSTC is part of the efforts of government's youth capacity skills training programme for self-employment and poverty reduction. The MSTCs are post-secondary school technical training institutes established to nurture and produce the much needed technical personnel with the skills and confidence to face the challenges of the changing world," she said.

Source: Vanguard