Skills Acquisition: NYSC graduates 2,600 in FCT

Skills Acquisition: NYSC graduates 2,600 in FCT
NAN-HG-4
Graduation
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Oct. 12, 2017 (NAN) The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has graduated over 2,600 corps members who participated in its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) in the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the skilled corps members who took part in the three months training were presented with certificates at a graduation ceremony at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Kubwa, Abuja.
The corps members, sworn-in for the 2016 Batch B stream I and II National Service Year, were trained in 12 skills set; namely: ICT, Agro-Allied, Culture and Tourism, Education, Cosmetology and Automobile.
Other skills are Construction, Power and Energy, Film and Photography, Food Processing, Horticulture and Environment.
Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, the NYSC Director-General, in an interview with newsmen, said corps members who participated in the SAED programme and acquired skills were already gainfully employed.
Kazaure, who was represented by Mrs Linda Amugo, the NYSC Deputy Director, Community Development Service (CDS), said other corps members who participated in the programme were now employers of labour.
He said more corps members have continued to show interest in the programme because of its relevance in providing them with the necessary skills to survive in a society with high unemployment rate.
“A lot of them show interest from the training because they benefit from it; I advise future prospective corps members to key into this venture once they come in for the service year,” Kazaure said.
Mr Abdulrazak Salawu, the NYSC FCT Coordinator, said corps members upon commencement of the service year were enrolled in various service institutes to learn skills.
Salawu said the aim of the programme was to equip corps members with necessary skills and practical knowledge to enable them become self-sustaining during and after the service year.
He assured that most of the trained corps members were already making money from this venture, urging the corps members to ensure they sustain the training they have received.
“I want to encourage and advise you to double your efforts to be complete entrepreneurs; to have a successful business, you need to start small and only then can you grow the business and succeed in it.
“I want to assure the corps members that government will continue to support them in their endeavours and when the need arises.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Heritage Bank and Bank of Industry (BoI), which are lending at zero rates, are all available to grant these corps members loan facility to start up their businesses.
“I urge corps members to take advantage of this opportunity by providing good business plans to these banks in order to access the required funds as the banks cannot just give you money without seeing a good business plan,” Salawu said.
Mr Balogun Olamilekan, a corps member and graduate of Accounting from the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger, said he learnt aluminium work under the construction skills set.
Olamilekan expressed optimism that the training would make it easier for him to get a job, keep busy and establish himself rather than wait for a white collar job.
“I learnt how to construct different kinds of windows and doors. I hope that I can impart this knowledge I got on others who do not have the opportunity to learn this skill,’’ Olamilekan said.
Miss Egbita Mary, a corps member and graduate of Public Administration, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi, said she learnt Cosmetology from the SAED programme.
Mary said the programme had given her the necessary skill to be self-employed and give back to society instead of waiting for government to provide.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NYSC introduced the SAED programme for corps members in 2012.
Since inception, the scheme graduates thousands of corps members who have actively participated in the programme annually. (NAN)
KRY/DOR/MST
Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola