The Industrial Training Fund, ITF has said it would train 13,000 persons across the country in various skills.
Director General/Chief Executive, ITF. Sir Joseph Ari disclosed this while addressing Area Offices and Mangers of the agency’s Training Centres in Jos. Plateau State capital.
A statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by ITF s Deputy Director/Head, Public Affairs Unit, Suleyol Chagu and made available to The Tide, said the 13,000 persons will be trained in 11 vocational skills.
The statement titled ITF Tags 2018 As Year of Delivery’ explained that the training was the agency’s renewed effort to equip Nigerians with skills in line with its mandate in ensuring the Federal Government’s policy on job/wealth creation.
The statement reads, “In line with this declaration, the ITF is set to train 13,000 Nigerians will commence on various dates, between July and August, and terminate in November, 2018
Ari further explained that the declaration of 2018 as year of delivery was informed by the growing realization that accelerated skills acquisition is key in stemming the rampant unemployment, especially among the youths.
The DG listed the vocational programmes billed for implementation to include, “The National Industrial Skills Development Programme (WOSEP), Skills Training and Empowerment Programme for the physically challenged (STEPC), Air, Conditioning and Refrigeration, as well as Designing and Garment Making.”
Ari also said that governments all over the world have turned to skills acquisition, which is the ‘universal currency of the 21st Century to arm their citizenry with skills for employability and growth.
The ITF boss further said that within the same period, five other training programmes, including post-Harvest Techniques and Product Development Aqua-Culture/Fish Farming Manure Production, Crop Production/Green house Technology and Poultry Farming aimed at equipping Nigerian farmers with the requisite skills for improved farm yield will be implemented, using the Galilee International Management Institute (GIM) model.
He further said, “ Theprogrammes which are targeted at the youths, women and the physically challenged were carefully selected based on project value addition to Nation’s economy and the individual beneficiaries.”
Unlike the NISDP that will be implemented in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Ari said that the other training programmes will be implemented in selected states.
He urged the state government and other stakeholders to sponsor additional trainees for the programmes, but noted that ‘such stakeholders would be required to cover the monthly stipends of trainees, provide start-up packs for such additional trainees and also offset any allowances for the master craftsman that would be retained as a result of the additional trainees.’

Dennis Naku