Rivers
ITF Trains 100 Youths, Donates Starter Packs
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained about 100 Rivers State youths in two selected trades; catering and event management and plumbing and pipe fitting.
The 100 Rivers State youths were recruited in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment as part of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) in Rivers State.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Thursday, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Samuel Aguma, commended the training organisation and said the state government was pleased to partner with any organisation that would develop the economy of the state.
The Commissioner urged the graduands to ensure that they did not sell the starter packs given to them but should use the opportunity to train others and develop themselves in their chosen trades.
Earlier, the Area Manager ITF, Port Harcourt, Mrs Ifeyinwa Osagie, explained that the National Industrial Skills Development Program (NISDP) was basically designed and developed by the Industrial Training Fund to equip the youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years with the requisite skills, knowledge and attitude needed to create wealth for themselves and the nation at large.
Mrs Osagie noted that the ITF has inculcated into these youths a higher value on the right attitude because in the organisation, it is believed that the right attitude is what makes one successful in any chosen career.
She revealed that in the last week of their training, the trainees were exposed to enterpreneurship development programme (EDP) during which they were trained on how to use their newly acquired skills to create wealth thereby reducing unemployment and poverty in the country.
According to her,” the Bank of Industry (BOI) has been notified about its responsibility in giving soft loans to those of them that meet the requirements for such loan”.
In his message at the occasion, the Director General/ Chief Executive of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, disclosed that NISDP was established in 2016 not only to facilitate the achievement of the federal government policy on job and wealth creation and breed a new generation of enterpreneurs to transform the economic landscape of the country, but above all drive the achievement of the economic recovery and growth plan.
Ari further disclosed that since the inception of the NISDP, it has equipped thousands of Nigerians nationwide with skills for employability and enterpreneurship.
He also disclosed that about 3,905 Nigerians were equipped with skills in two trade areas across the country.
By: Ike Wigodo