NECA/ITF TRAINS 223 FOR JOB CREATION

By NBF News

The Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association, NECA, and the Industrial Training Fund, ITF,  said 223 people have been trained in welding, fitting, mechanics under their skill acquisition project in the last six months

Project Director, Helen Jemerigbe, who disclosed this said they were trained for a period of nine months variously by Nigerdock Nigeria PLC, Nigeria Breweries PLC and Kaduna-based Peugeot Automobile Nigeria.

'In the past six months we have trained and graduated 166, excluding the 57  welders and fitters that graduated today at Nigerdock Training Center at Snake Island Integrated Free Zone,' she said.

She believes that the beneficiaries have acquired the necessary skills to start their own businesses or obtain gainful employment.

She disclosed that the next set for Nigerdock and Nigeria Brewery PLC would commence May/June this year, stressing that ' we are waiting for the release of funds from ITF. We need to get the fund to the training centres for them to prepare to start the classes.'

On how to benefit from the scheme, she explained that ' the basic qualifications are school certificate or NABTEB certificates with flair for Maths and English, and bias in Sciences. Candidates should be able to do simple calculation'

Managing Director, Nigerdock, Chris Bennet, said the company was proud to be part of the skills' acquisition scheme.

He noted that apart from NECA/ITF, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Joint Venture had selected Nigerdock's  facility to lead their training programmes for oil workers on their projects.

'Nigerdock's Training Center is the focal point for skills, learning and workforce development in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and offers world class training of personnel in the fields of Health and Safety, Welding, Pipefitting, Plating and Machining. Welders are trained in SMAW, MMAW, FCAW & TIG processes and certified to L1oyds. ABS & DNV standards,' he said.