By Esther Olaoluwa |
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has partnered with trainers from the United Kingdom to train and certify 100 Nigerian artisans under an eight-week programme aimed at improving the quality of technical skills and raising Nigeria’s artisan workforce to international standards.
The programme is designed to equip participants with technical, teaching and assessment skills that will enable them to train other artisans, assess workers and support skills development across Nigerian industries.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, disclosed this at the launch of the programme in Abuja.
Ogun said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to improve the skills of Nigerian artisans and technicians and bring them up to global standards.
He said the programme also supports ITF’s mandate to address unemployment by equipping Nigerians with practical skills that can improve their employability and competitiveness.
Participants to Earn Three Qualifications
According to Ogun, the programme goes beyond training participants for certificates of attendance, as they are expected to earn recognised qualifications after completing the programme.
He said the 100 participants would receive three qualifications covering trade skills, teaching and training, and assessment.
“The trainees will obtain three qualifications at the end of the eight-week programme, including Trade Level 3 certification, teaching and training certification and assessor certification,” Ogun said.
He explained that the qualifications would prepare participants to train other artisans and assess workers based on established technical standards.
Ogun also stressed the importance of examinations in maintaining the quality of the certification process.
He said participants would undergo assessments at the end of the programme, noting that certification without proper assessment could undermine the quality of technical training.
Trainers to Support Industry Skills Development
Ogun said participants would subsequently be deployed to industries to assess workers’ existing skill levels, certify them where they meet the required standards and identify areas where further professional development is needed.
He explained that the programme would create a pool of qualified trainers and assessors who could help improve technical skills across different industries.
The ITF chief said the initiative would also enable the trained participants to set professional development targets for workers based on identified skills gaps.
The partnership with UK trainers is expected to strengthen the technical and assessment capacity of the participants while exposing them to standards that can improve the quality of vocational training in Nigeria.
The programme forms part of ITF’s broader efforts to develop a skilled workforce, improve employment opportunities and ensure that Nigerian artisans and technicians can compete effectively in the local and international labour market.
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