The Federal Government has launched the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) in Kano State as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with practical vocational skills, promote entrepreneurship and foster self-reliance.
The National Coordinator of NSIPA, Assistant Professor Badamasi Lawal, said the initiative is designed to transform young Nigerians from job seekers into job creators by providing them with marketable vocational skills in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Represented at the launch by Musbahu Yunusa, Lawal explained that the programme would train 700 participants across Kano State in both theoretical and practical components of 15 vocational trades.
The trades include automobile repairs, baking and confectionery, agricultural technology, catering, electrical installation, housekeeping, carpentry, jewellery and bead making, masonry, sewing and fashion design, plumbing, grinding technology, welding and fabrication, and vulcanising.
He said beneficiaries would receive starter packs and work tools upon successful completion of the training to enable them establish businesses, create employment opportunities and become self-reliant.
Lawal reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering young people through skills acquisition, economic inclusion and job creation in line with global best practices.
Speaking at the event, the Centre Manager for Fagge Local Government Area, Yunusa Isiyaku, said 145 participants are currently undergoing training at the Government Technical College, Kwakwaci, where they are acquiring practical skills under the programme.
Similarly, the Centre Manager for Kano Municipal Local Government Area, Ghazzali Abdullahi, disclosed that 159 participants had enrolled at the centre and commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for supporting initiatives aimed at improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.
Also speaking, the Centre Manager for the Gani/Sumaila Centre, which has enrolled 104 participants Munkaila Hussaini, said the programme would reduce dependence on white-collar jobs by equipping beneficiaries with practical vocational skills for sustainable livelihoods.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Safiya Abubakar from Tarauni, Muslim Sani Muhammad from Dawakin Tofa, Fatima Zakari from Kumbotso and Aliyu Sani from Tofa Local Government Area, described the initiative as timely, expressing confidence that it would enhance their economic prospects through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
The Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme is one of the Federal Government’s flagship initiatives aimed at expanding access to vocational education, promoting entrepreneurship and creating sustainable employment opportunities for young Nigerians across the country.