The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has begun a three-month training of 360 unemployed youths in Edo as part of measures to reduce the nation’s unemployment rate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is organised under the NDE’s Basic National Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS) and Advanced National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (A-NOAS).
The Acting Director of NDE, Abubakar Fikpo, said during the launch of the training on Friday in Benin that the programme was designed to create a pool of artisans.
Fikpo, represented by the state Coordinator, Mrs Ayo Edegbai, said the trainees would readily address the needs for artisans at the nation’s rural and urban centres.
“The training will thereby promote economic activities in these areas.
“The B-NOAS is the basic knowledge you require in any of the skills sets of interest.
“Under the B-NOAS, 20 unemployed persons are to be selected throughout the 18 local government areas of the state.
“The persons will be trained in skills sets of fashion design, beauty therapy, GSM, make-up art, catering, hairdressing and barbing, among others,” Fikpo said.
According to him, the A-NOAS is the advanced knowledge required to perfect what was learnt during B-NOAS.
He further said that only those who had trained in the B-NOAS would qualify for more knowledge under the A-NOAS platform.
“I want you all to consider yourselves very privileged to be a part of the training and please do not abuse the rare opportunity given to you by the Federal Government to better yourself.
“At the end of these trainings, your dependence on other people for survival will be reduced,” he said.
A trainee, Mr Emmanuel Sunday, who spoke on behalf of others, thanked NDE for the programme and promised that they would utilise the opportunity to their favour.
