By Christian Ogbonna
Abakaliki, – National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced training of 65 unskilled and unemployed women and youths in Ebonyi, through its Community-Based Training Scheme (CBTS).
Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Fikpo, said at the inauguration and orientation ceremony of participants in Abakaliki on Tuesday that the three-month training would focus on more than six skills.
Fikpo, represented by Mr Don Anaba, Coordinator of NDE in Ebonyi, listed the skills to include: computer operation, handset repairs, fashion designing, hair dressing, gele and turban making as well as shoe works, amongst others.
According to the director-general, CBTS is a vocational skills training scheme of the directorate, aimed at importing modern techniques on unemployed youths and women in the society, to make them employable and self- reliant.
“Today, a total of 65 youths and women are receiving necessary orientation for vocational skills training in over six trendy skills.
“I urge the participants to take the training seriously in order to make the best of the opportunity,” he said.
Fikpo, who lauded the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, noted that NDE was making remarkable progress in job creation and youth empowerments.
“It is pertinent to mention that NDE skills training are imparted on the unemployed youths through its four cardinal job creation programmes, such as: Vocational Skills Acquisition, Small Scale Enterprises, Rural Employment Promotion and Special Public Works,” he stated.
Director of Vocational Skills Department (VSD) of NDE, Mr Isa Abdul, enjoined the trainees to take advantage of the programme to become their own bosses.
Abdul, represented by Mr Obioha Ananaba, Head of Department, VSD in Ebonyi, said that the importance of job creation and capacity building to economic growth could not be over-emphasised.
“This programme is to train artisans in technical and vocational skills that will, in turn, make them become self-employed.
“I welcome all the participants to this skills training and it is a privilege that you were selected among the thousands of people who applied,” Abdul said.
Izuchukwu Monday, who spoke on behalf of the participants, commended the Federal Government and NDE for putting up the programme.
Monday promised that they would take advantage of the programmes and contribute to the efforts at curbing unemployment in the country. (NAN)
