A non-profit organisation, iCreate Africa and other partners have adopted a national skills festival as another platform for mentoring future innovators, technology leaders and creative problem-solvers by getting youths to solve challenging problems in different industries through hands-on skills competition. DANIEL ESSIET who was at the event, reports.
The National Skills Fest had the same thrills and excitement every other sport has. It was an educational, fun-filled, and interactive event that inspired youths to consider career options in vocational and technical skills. It also involved a skills competition, business pitch, panel discussions, awards night and industrial exhibition.
The competition showcased 16 sets of skills, which include brick laying, plumbing, carpentry, tiling, tailoring, art, hair dressing, make-up, website design, app development, animation, robotics, cooking, photography, third animation & restaurant services, with three winners emerging from each category.
Organised by a non-profit, iCreate Africa, in partnership with Universal Learn Direct Academia Limited(ULDA), Julius Berger and Sterling Bank, Industrial Training Fund, Bosch Group, among others, the goal was to get more youths hooked on technical and vocational careers through hands-on skills competition. The event brought together secondary and post-secondary graduates from across Nigeria to compete in an Olympic-style event.
The Chief Executive/Founder, iCreate Africa, Bright Jaja, said the organisation aims to enhance, empower and equip youths to turn their passion into a profession.
Jaja said the focus is to address the societal perception affecting youths’ participation by rebranding technical skills, uplifting the profiles of skilled professionals and projecting skills in the mainstream.
He said the organisation hosted the event to emphasise the benefits of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), among others, saying TVET could create significant opportunities to help youths enter the labour market.
Jaja said the winners would become Africa skill champions and serve as inspirers and role models to other youths, adding that skill champions not only represent the organisation and affiliated partners who have signed them as their own brand ambassadors, but also represent the vocational profession they champion.
Looking ahead, he said the programme will be fine-tuned to continue to support vocational training centres to reach and train more youths.
The President, ULDA, Olawumi Akanmu Gasper, said tackling unemployment and strengthening the TVET sector will have a knock on effect of empowering and equipping youths with relevant skills corresponding to local market needs and enabling them to secure jobs.
He said skills were the bedrock for driving economic growth, promoting employability, reducing unemployment and poverty.
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With organisations abroad in search of the best and brightest talents, he urged local skills training providers to prepare and sustain a steady pipeline of talents to supply the international market, saying that employers are looking to recruit people with a strong knowledge base, technical skills and problem-solving abilities.
He called on Nigerian youths to embrace skills training to find jobs abroad. He said TVET was a good option for young people. To aid in the work, he said ULDA is ready to inspire dialogue with the goal of better aligning programmes and services with students’ needs and preparing them for careers ahead.
Jaja said the organisation is working to change the perception of the industry and inspire next-generation workers to pursue technical and vocational careers by providing real-world experiences.
Gasper said his organisation was proud to have supported iCreate Africa to organise the Skills Fest as it provides an opportunity to showcase what it takes to be a successful tradesperson.
The Chief Operating Officer, Automedics Limited, Gbola OBA said “iCreate for him is where you get people to dig in, find their own true skill, saying we now have to enable them to be more successful, earn a decent living and get them skilled-up.
He said the goal and objective of the festival was to engage youths and promote all the exciting careers that are available to them in the skilled trades and technologies.
He said there was a need to redevelop TVET strategies in an effort to bring about increased economic development.
According to him, the competition provided a platform for competitors to demonstrate and develop their skills to be more prepared for the world of work. It also gives young Nigerians who have never been exposed to skilled trades and technology careers a chance to learn about these occupations through experiential activities.
The Chief Executive, Automedics, Engr Kunle Shonaike, said his organisation is supporting the programme because it encourages youth to develop their skills. According to him, Auto medics supported the programme because the event is a positive way of showcasing TVET in Nigeria.
Noting that the competition would allow young people to demonstrate the best of their vocational skills, he added, it will create a general awareness of the essential contribution that skills and high standards of competence can make to the achievement of economic success and individual fulfilment.
He said selection of participating youths was carried out by a screening committee following eligibility and selection criteria, fulfilled by the deadline for applications.
He said students and teachers in the school system need take advantage of the skills competition and festival to observe and gain valuable insights into the technical skills required.
The kinds of experiences, according to him, help teachers make their lessons and curricula richer, more relevant and more aligned to the careers of today and tomorrow.
For the Chief Executive,Garu Technologies, Alhaji Lukman Garu, the job market today, provides a vastly different pathway to join 21st-century jobs in skilled trades, applied sciences and technology.
He said there was need for careers to adapt to a changing industry where computerised equipment, electronics and advanced materials are now standard.
According to him, the programme has been an invaluable way to encourage youths to not only join the trades, but to value them.Cash prizes were awarded to the top competitors in skill areas.
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