Unemployment: Expert Urges Shift To Technical Training

As a way of tackling grow
ing unemployment in Nigeria, especially among graduates of tertiary institutions, the Co-ordinator, City and Guilds of London Institute in Nigeria, Engineer Oluteye Olokun has advocated for a shift to technical training, to fill the gap for industries, especially in engineering.
He said that it is not enough to obtain a degree, especially in engineering field which is more of theories, without a back-up with technical training.
Olokun, a systems engineer, who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, Friday, noted that the ratio of intake of companies for graduates and those who have technical training is 10:1.
He said “being skilled and well trained are more important than being qualified, in terms of getting a job, and companies are looking out for competence and capacity to handle the job.”
“Economic meltdown is forcing many companies to shift from graduate training after employment, to making use of those who have the technical knowhow who they can use and train for just few months to reduce cost.
“The system is changing, and City and guilds is here. You do not need to go to London for the training because we have the structure and curriculum to train people technically and otherwise,” he stated.
The systems engineer therefore urged those managing the education system in the nation to summon the courage to re-structure the education system that will give room to more technical training, particularly in the engineering field, so as to fill the gap for industries in terms of employment.

Corlins Walter