Ogun completes training of 500 artisans, technicians

By Dada Jackson

The Ogun State Government through its Technical and Vocational Education Board has released 500 certified and well-trained artisans, technicians and craftsmen into the society to reduce the shortage of skilled manpower with a promise to train 2,000 more before the year runs out.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Education, Prof. Joseph Odemuyiwa, who made this known at the Grand Finale of the week-long skills acquisition programme organised to celebrate the year 2021 World Youth Skills Day held at the Ogun TechHUB, Kobape, Abeokuta disclosed that the beneficiaries had been given intensive training on both technical and vocational skills.
Odemuyiwa pointed out that the board had earlier consulted the industries in the state to ask for their specific needs before training the participants in line with the industry’s requirements, assuring that these beneficiaries would be easily absorbed by the industries.
His words: “We trained the participants in eight different technical and vocational skills according to their choice and these beneficiaries cut across the entire state.”
In his address, the Commissioner for Youth and Sport, Dr Damilare Kehinde, congratulated the beneficiaries for the opportunity, urging them to put to use all that they had learnt.
The number one youth in the state who enjoined all participants to embrace the shift from educational certification to hands-on technical know-how said any skill acquired is a life changing opportunity adding that the more you practice the skill, the better you become as no skill learnt can ever be too much.
His counterpart from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Kikelomo Longe ,who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Olu-Ola Aikulola, said the ministry would continue to collaborate with Ogun State Technical and Vocational Education Board to engender and create robust partnership which would increase skill acquisition and build self-confidence.

Longe enjoined the youths to position themselves for opportunities as the state is the industrial capital of the country with enormous advantage to harness.
The Chairman, Ogun State Youth Council of Nigeria, Abdul-Jabal Ayelaagbe, said the way to go for as a nation was skill acquisition, imploring youths to put the same zeal they put in academics into choice skill for the greatness and development of the nation.
Messrs Saliu Ayodele of Solar Energy Department, Balogun Joseph of Electrical Electronics department and Mrs Funmilola Akindele of Catering Department appreciated the government for the training programme, affirming that the knowledge acquired would have much impact on their lives.
The beneficiaries unanimously called on government to sustain training of this nature as it would continue to sharpen their skills.