NEW BREED TARGETS 10,000 A’IBOM YOUTHS FOR JOB CREATION

NEW BREED TARGETS 10,000 A’IBOM YOUTHS FOR JOB CREATION

It has been asserted that dependence on white-collar jobs is no longer fashionable in today’s Nigeria. In this regard, a group in Akwa Ibom which is promoting sustainable development, the ‘New Breed’ has flagged off a free training program for 10,000 Akwa Ibom Youths in various skills in the areas of catering, makeover, leather works, fashion design, audio/visual production, agriculture, information, and Communication Technology, ICT, Photography and videography.
The training program which commenced on Monday entered its third today, Wednesday. This Reporter who was at the training facility located at Bennet Bassey Street, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo on a fact-finding tour of the facility was conducted round the various skills training department where trainees were seen undergoing intensive practical sessions, as resource persons were on hand to impact the needed skills on the first batch of trainees.
Addressing newsmen, the International Co-coordinator of the organization, Engr. Ekpenyong Ekpenyong, the Spokesperson of the group, Mr. Ukeme Nyah, and Media Consultant for the group, Engr. Edwin Ebiese in their separate remarks noted that the objective of the skills development training is to facilitate the birthing of a generation of young people who will not only be skilled but capable of manning and sustaining the industries and industrialization drive of the state government.
Engr. Ekpenyong said the purpose of the training is to change the narrative and instill the consciousness in the minds of the youths that they can earn a decent living outside politics.
“I am worried that in Akwa Ibom everyone seems to focus on politics and we want to change the narrative. The training is done in phases and we hope to move to all the local government areas.”
Also explaining the rationale behind the initiative, the spokesperson of the organization, Mr. Nyah stated; “The Free Entrepreneurship Training is in line with our mission to promote skill-based education and entrepreneurship, conscious of the important contribution entrepreneurship makes to sustainable development by creating jobs, driving economic growth and innovation, improving social conditions and addressing social and environmental challenges in the context of the United National Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), 2030 agenda”.
He said the ‘New Breed for Sustainable’ seeks to address the issue of youths graduating from universities and not being able to hold down a job due to a lack of skills.
“Our programs and activities are tailored to stir interest for practical skills acquisition other than just reading, writing, and going to formal schools that offer purely academic and bookish knowledge which is not job oriented. We want to bring light to the sheer abundance of choices available to young school leavers, not just formal higher education (knowledge-based education). The goal is to help young people shake off mediocrity and live up to their full potential through self-discovery”.
The group maintained that the whole idea behind the skills development program was to redirect the minds of the youthful populace against dependence on non-existing white-collar jobs but aspire to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant and labour employers. The New Breed believes that Nigerian youths had no business with joblessness if they keyed into skill acquisition and entrepreneurship.
The training session holds in the morning through evening, while the trainees are scheduled for morning and evening practical classes.
Present during the media chat was the International Coordinator of the group, Engr. Ekpenyong Ekpenyong, Spokesperson of the group, Comrade Ukeme Nyah, Coordinator, Okobo Chapter, and Media Consultant, Edwin Ebiese, Christo Ekpoh, Head, Media&Branding, among others.

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