KEY POINTS
- The NCDMB youth skills training program graduated 250 people from Lagos.
- The main subjects were solar installation and vocational crafts.
- Starter bundles let grads start working right away.
The oil industry regulator in Nigeria has expanded its youth empowerment program by teaching 250 young people in Lagos in solar installation and other vocational skills that are in high demand. This will help them find work and become more self-sufficient.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and Jake Riley Academy worked together to graduate the students on Monday as part of the NCDMB Lagos Youth Skills Training Programme. As authorities strive for skills-based solutions to unemployment, the project gives young Nigerians real skills that are in line with the changing needs of the job market.
Participants learned how to install solar panels and electrical fittings by doing it themselves. They also learned how to cook, design clothes, make Adire, and some digital skills. At the ceremony, the organizers gave each graduate a beginning kit that was specific to their trade, so they could start working right away.
Results of NCDMB juvenile skills training
Funmi Ogbue, the CEO of Jake Riley Limited, noted that the initiative is a long-term investment in human capital, not a short-term fix. She said that the trainees were the result of a planned effort to provide them skills that would help them make money right away.
Ogbue said that the graduates went through a tough screening process and took extensive courses that went beyond just technical training. The curriculum included business growth, money management, online marketing, and customer service, which are all important skills for running a small business.
She told the attendees to base their professions on professionalism and honesty, and she warned them that tools alone don’t ensure success. A number of graduates remarked that the training made them more confident and gave them a broader view of work and starting their own business.
The NCDMB’s plan for teaching young people in skills
Furthermore, the program is part of the NCDMB’s larger plan to connect skill development with economic diversification and building up local capability. The board also wants to get young people ready for jobs in fields with growing demand by focusing on renewable energy and creative skills. It also wants to help small businesses expand.
People who were at the event remarked that vocational training is still very important for lowering reliance on paid work and boosting household earnings. They also said that programs like the NCDMB youth skills training program, along with starter materials and mentorship, can help fill in the gaps between education and being able to get a job.
As Nigeria’s workforce gets younger and bigger, the recent graduation shows that skills-based interventions are still a method to help the country thrive and become self-sufficient.
