National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Kwara has commenced an entrepreneurship programme under the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS) for selected 20 participants.
Speaking during the flag-off of the programme in Ilorin, the state coordinator, Mr. Kudabo Olufemi Gabriel, who represented the NDE director general, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said that the training programme is part of moves to combat unemployment and create wealth generation in line with the NDE mission statement.
The NDE boss also said that the programme, powered by the Vocational Skills Development of the Directorate, is aimed at improving capacity of people to be gainfully employed and contribute to national development.
Fikpo, who said that there are no longer white-collar jobs while graduates are joining the labour market annually, advised the participants to see the training as a means of decent livelihood.
While citing different successful apprenticeship programmes across the county, he enjoined the lucky participants to be of good conduct and be good ambassadors.
The representative of the acting director, Vocational Skills Development, Hajia Aminat Shettima, who was represented by Hajia Jemila Sulieman, from VSD headquarters, said that the programme has as its target school leavers, retirees, unemployed graduates and the vulnerable individuals.
The state coordinator, who encouraged the participants to be of good conduct, said that exceptional participants may still have the opportunity of moving on to the Advanced National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (A-NOAS) to be more proficient.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Baliqees Abubakar and Faith Afariogun, appreciated the federal government for the initiative and expressed their readiness to participate fully in the training programme.
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