IVTEC: Equipping Youths With Market-Relevant Skills

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Since inception, the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed administration showed its commitment to human capital development. From its bridge youth empowerment scheme, KWABES, to its youth-focussed SME scheme and skill acquisition drive, the administration has excelled in the human capital development sector.

Indeed, last year’s graduation of the pioneer set of 291 students at the International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), Ajase-Ipo was timely as the graduands will contribute to the nation’s human capital and employment demands.

The graduating students acquired modern vocational skills in automotive mechatronics, Masonry, Furniture and Cabinet Making, CCTV, Web Application, System Security and Networking, Computer Hardware, Electrical Installation, and Maintenance, Catering and Culinary Service, HVAC, Welding and Fabrication, Building Construction, System Security and Networking and other vital vocational skills.  At the ceremony, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed noted that aside from boosting employment in the State, IVTEC was established as a way of getting more youths employed and minimize the risk of their involvement in criminal activity, insurgency and other social vices.

He charged the graduands to use the acquired skills to take advantage of extensive business and employment opportunities available in their fields. Prior to the graduation, IVTEC had offered short courses to 25 indigenes in areas of solar installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance. This was an empowerment programme by the Kwara State Government in partnership with the contractor handling the Light up Kwara project, Riccofortezza-Asteven Energy Limited.

After the training, the beneficiaries were each supported with business startup package of N1m worth of solar products by Riccofortezza-Asteven Energy Limited.

Also, the 291 graduands will be supported by the State government with start-up funds required to set up various businesses or expand existing ones through affordable micro-credit through the State Bureau of Micro Small and Medium Enterprise.

Furthermore, International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College(IVTEC), in September, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the World Bank on the training of 250 students for a first-level skills training.

The MoU provides for payment of monthly stipends for each trainee for the period of the training. The three months training programme is followed by a six months industrial apprenticeship to further expose the trainees to their various chosen jobs.

One must, therefore, commend the ingenuity of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed led government. The foresight in establishing IVTEC was not only novel but also timely. The current economic reality in the country has shown that blue-collar jobs are the future for the youths. Apart from boosting entrepreneurship in the State, IVTEC was also established as a way of minimizing the risk of youth involvement in criminal activity, insurgency and other social vices. Indeed, the quality of training the graduates received at IVTEC is capable of placing them in good stead to secure employment or set up successful businesses and be employers of labour.