The graduation ceremony, held at the International Trade and Convention Centre, KM 8, Umaru Yar’Adua Expressway, Abuja, brought together representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, project officials, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), participating Technical Skills Providers, trainees and other stakeholders.
The programme was designed to equip participants with practical, industry-relevant skills to enhance their employability, promote entrepreneurship and support the development of sustainable enterprises.
The seven participating TSPs were ACCI BEST Centre; Onidiri Home of Beauty; Gemological Institute of Nigeria; iLearn Learning Spaces; Germnig Consultants Limited; Dari Investments Limited; and Binley and Bramble, in partnership with School Hunters.
Speaking at the event, the 1st Deputy President of ACCI and Founder of BEST Centre, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, said the initiative represented an important investment in human capital development, particularly in equipping young Nigerians with practical competencies that could translate into employment and enterprise opportunities.
Prof Adesugba noted that technical and vocational education remained critical to addressing unemployment and building a workforce capable of responding to the changing demands of the economy. He encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge and practical skills acquired during the training to establish businesses, secure employment and, where possible, create opportunities for others.
Representing the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the External Quality Assurance Manager, Mr Junna Lawrence Gabriel, said the beneficiaries would be assessed based on their practical competencies as part of the certification process.
Mr Gabriel stressed that technical education should go beyond the acquisition of certificates, noting that trainees must be able to demonstrate the skills they had acquired and apply them effectively in real-life work and enterprise environments.
Also speakig at the event, the Deputy Director General of ACCI Best Centre, Dr. Tinuke Temitope, said the seven providers had collaborated to implement the training across different skill areas, adding that the programme was designed to equip beneficiaries with practical competencies that could translate into employment, entrepreneurship and income generating opportunities.
The graduates expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, FME-IDEAS and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for creating the opportunity for them to acquire practical and marketable skills.
One of the trainees captured the significance of the programme, saying, “You have not just taught us how to make this. You have given us the tools to build our own future.”
In her concluding remarks, Hajiya Hauwa Usman commended the organisers, training providers and partners for their collaboration in delivering the programme. She urged the graduates to put their newly acquired skills to productive use by creating businesses, pursuing employment opportunities and contributing to the development of their communities.
The graduation marks another milestone in the implementation of the IDEAS-TVET programme, with participating institutions and stakeholders emphasising the importance of practical skills development as a pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth.
