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Tag: LASTVEB

  • LASTVEB, firm sign MoU on technical students’ conference

    The Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Trantouch Ltd to organise a conference for students of the five technical colleges in  state next month.

    The Technical Students Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Conference (TECHSEEC) is the brainchild of Mr Collins Uwadia, CEO of Trantouch Ltd, and an alumnus of Government Technical College, Ikotun.

    Uwadia said at the signing at the LASTVEB headquarters in GRA, Ikeja, that the conference would expose about 6,000 students of technical colleges to best practices and opportunities in the skills sector by bringing them in contact with seasoned experts, both local and foreign, in a five-star venue.

    He also said the students as well as firms in the technical/vocational sector would be able to showcase their creativity through a product exhibition that would feature as part of the event.

    During the conference, three lucky students would win slots to get trained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and afterwards, about 1,000 final year students of the colleges would also get opportunity for three to six months of training in graphic design, basic computing, business writing, GSM repairs, social media engagement, customer relationship management to be provided by three seasoned ICT firms.

    “This initiative was borne out of passion and my experience, having being privileged to work locally and internationally in the technical field,” he said.

    Lauding the initiative, Director, Technical and Vocational Education, Mr Laolu Oguntuyi, who signed the MoU as Acting Secretary of LASTVEB, said the board needed private sector partnership to boost the quality of training the students  so that they can be relevant in the work place.

    “I am happy about this programme because it will correct the poor perception about Technical and Vocational Education.

    “All of us know that there is inadequate linkage between the educational institutions and industry. This training would bridge the gap,” he said.

    CEO of Rhoda Michael School of Fashion, Mrs Rhoda Agbeyo, who chaired the organising committee for TECHSEEC, underscored the need for Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) training. She said it was not inferior as evidence of its usefulness was demonstrated in increasing number of graduates seeking training at her fashion school.

    “This is what Nigeria needs right now. We have so many graduates in Nigeria without skills. I am a graduate/masters holder who is back to vocational studies. Now I am a teacher of many students at Rhoda Michael School of fashion, who are graduates

  • LASTVEB holds first merit awards

    LASTVEB holds first merit awards

    The Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) recognised outstanding teachers, vice principals, principals and administrative members of staff recently during its first Merit Award programme.

    Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Mr Olawumi Gasper, said the award held at the board’s Headquarters in Ikeja, was initiated to honour professionals in the Technical and Vocational Education sector who work hard but are missed during the general merit award organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education because of the few categories dedicated to the sector.

    “We initiated this because we found out that yearly only one person is usually recognised from the TVE sector at the state level yet we know that many more are putting in effort.  We have decided to annually recognise our people here,” he said.

    Gasper also praised the merit award committee chaired by Mr Mathew Olayanju, for being thorough and working effectively with a lean budget.

    The best principal award went to Mrs Belinda Odeh of Government Technical College (GTC), Agidingbi; while GTC, Ikotun was adjudged the best of the five Technical Colleges run by the Lagos State government.  Mr Benjamin Oke of GTC, Ado-Soba, got the most outstanding teacher award; while Mrs Esther Betiku won the most outstanding teacher for GTC, Epe, among others.

    The Executive Secretary also presented his own special award to Mr Giwa Hassan, naming him as the person “whose contribution has moved TVE to the highest level in Lagos State.

    “When this headquarters was being built, he was here morning, afternoon, evening to supervise the students.  He did the electrical installation for this building,” he said.

    In an interview, Principal, GTC, Ikotun, Mr Samuel Daramola, said his school won the award because of innovations he introduced since assuming duty about a year ago.

    “I have been able to sanitise the college and put it in proper shape.  The government flagged off the tree planting exercise in the college because of its beautiful environment.  I went out to look for technical contracts for our students to allow them have more practical training,” he said.

  • Lawmaker, LASTVEB sign pact to train Epe youths

    Lawmaker, LASTVEB sign pact to train Epe youths

    A lawmaker representing the Epe Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja, Mr Wale Raji, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) to train youths in technical and vocational trades that would make them self-reliant.

    A hundred youths from Epe would learn an array of trades including barbing/hair dressing, masonry, electrical installation, shoe making, mobile phones repair, painting, photography and vulcanizing, within a six-nine month time frame.  They would also gain entrepreneurial/financial training, health and safety and project management skills.

    At the signing held last week at the LASTVEB Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, Raji said the initiative tagged “Hon Wale Raji Youth Empowerment Scheme” (YES) is his response to checking the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria.

    “The rate of youth unemployment at 40 per cent is worrisome – more so as youths account for 70 per cent of our population.  If 40 per cent of 70 per cent are unemployed, it calls for concern of everyone.

    “I am aware of the high rate of unemployment in Epe, Eredo Local Council Development Area and Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA.  I am of the opinion that we should do something to support the government.  That is why we are having this talk with LASTVEB on skills acquisition,” he said.

    Raji said the training would begin at the Government Technical College, Epe, in about three weeks once selection is completed.  He added that those who excel would be empowered with equipment to start small businesses.

    Also speaking, Mr Olawumi Gasper, LASTVEB Executive Secretary praised Raji for the initiative aimed at preparing youths for opportunities that would come when the state government implements its master plan of massive development for Epe.

    “If you have seen the master plan for Lagos, Epe is the new Lagos.  We don’t want to sit and wait for development to happen.  We want to start identifying and training young people for opportunities coming.  That is why this collaboration is dear to our hearts,” he said.

    Gasper, an engineer, noted that after the training, which would span between six andnine  months, those that excel would be presented with three levels of certifications that are recognised by industry.

    “We will certify them.  They will get the Basic Trade Test Certificate, the NABTEB Modular Certificate or the LASTVEB Competency Certificate, any of which can serve them well in the labour market,” he said.

    Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, Alhaju Tajudeen Seriki was full of praise for the scheme.  However, he urged that the youths be sensitised to take it seriously.

    “This is a fantastic initiative.  The only problem is that you need to educate our youths becuase they don’t want to work but want money,” he said.

    Principal of  GTC, Epe, Mr Olufemi Olayiwola lauded the initiative, saying it would increase awareness about the training offered by the college and provide opportunity for people seeking to be positively engaged.

     

  • LASTVEB lauds construction centre donated by Julius Berger

    Management of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) has praised Julius Berger for donating a construction centre to train Building and Construction students of Government Technical College (GTC), Odomola, Epe..

    Lagos state commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Femi Odubiyi, who anchored the launch of the centre last Thursday, thanked the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team of Julius Berger for enhancing learning.

    The centre measures about 6,000 square meters and houses three classrooms, a drawing studio, a wet trades workshop, offices and toilet/locker area.

    Julius Berger donated all materials for the project and also supervised the building of the centre by the students of the school.

    Odubiyi said: “I am very impressed. This is a laudable initiative and a good partnership. We are in the era of change and this epitomises change.”

    Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Mr Olawunmi Gasper, said facilities like these enhance the training of technical college students, who easily get work on graduation.

    “The products of this college are highly marketable. They do not go around searching for employment as most of them are employed immediately after graduating,” Gasper said.

    Gasper sought more support from corporate organisations to train the youths and reduce unemployment in the country.

    “Any company that wants to survive in Nigeria must invest in the youths especially in the areas of acquiring skills,” he said.

    Principal of the school, Mr Olayiwola Olufemi, said the participation of the students in the construction of the centre helped them gain crucial practical skills.

    “It is a student-focused project built by students in block-laying/concreting, plumbing and pipe fitting, carpentry and electrical installation.  It enabled them learn more as they were fully involved in all aspects of the constructions supervised by teachers of the college, Julius Berger engineers and technicians,” he said.

    One of the pupils who contributed to the project, Oghenede Noah said he was proud to have undergone the training.

    “I am very happy about this achievement. I am very confident about working after graduation because I know the world is waiting for me to contribute my quota. They are waiting for me,” Noah said.

  • LASTVEB partners Nigerite to train teachers

    Ten teachers from the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) were taught dry construction at the Nigerite Limited, a building component construction company, last Friday.

    The teachers, drawn from the five Government Technical Colleges across the state, were exposed to the theoretical and practical aspects of dry construction technology, which can be used to complement the wet method in constructing buildings.

    Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Mr Olawumi Gasper, said the training was a product of the board’s partnership with Nigerite, underscoring the importance of college-industry partnership in Technical and Vocational Education Training.

    He said: “This is part of our college-industry partnership.  Nigerite is a very strong partner for LASTVEB.  Apart from putting together for us structures where we have a centre for construction and building technology at the GTC, Ikorodu, Nigerite has gone further to say there is a need to take the teachers out; for them to have industrial feel; need for them to come and appreciate the recent technology in the area of building construction.

    “It’s all about strong college partnership.  Remember I keep telling us that there is no way we can run technical education without the support of the industry.  We would be deceiving ourselves.  There must be a strong bond with the industry and that is what you’ve seen us do all around.”

    Gasper, an engineer, added that the board intentionally chose 10 young construction teachers to put in place an adequate succession plan when the older teachers retire.

    “We selected the young trainers so, we are starting (to train them); it is a complete reform.  We are not saying the old ones are not good, but we want to get the young trainers, get them properly fit so that these old ones when they hand over, the young trainers would be able to continue,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Lanre Ashaolu, Brand Ambassador, Nigerite Ltd, said the skills the teachers would gain from the one-day workshop would enable them better prepare their students for the labour market.

    “This collaboration with LASTVEB is to increase the quality of labour and also serve as train the trainers’ programme.  Because we believe that if the teachers are trained, they will be able to train students in their various government technical colleges.  At the end of the day when those students are empowered, they can gainfully apply their skills in the labour market as solution providers or installers in the dry construction market,” he said.

  • NABTEB seeks input for reforms

    NABTEB seeks input for reforms

    he Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) has highlighted areas that the National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) should focus on to overhaul the assessment system for technical college graduates in Nigeria.

    A sensitisatIon forum organised by NABTEB in collaboration with LASTVEB at the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, provided the platform for LASTVEB, technical teachers, private sector participants and other stakeholders to suggest ways forward for technical and vocational education in Nigeria.

    In a position paper, LASTVEB raised questions about the eligibility of candidates for exams, availability of adequate consumables and facilities for practical, quality of examiners, late arrival of question papers, monitoring during examinations, individual assessment of candidates, motivation for examiners, supervisors, and prompt release of results.

    The board recommended that NABTEB should introduce new measures to strengthen internal assessments of candidates, ensure question papers are not late, monitor examination and pay officials on time.

    LASTVEB also suggested that NABTEB evolve a Continuous Assessment template that can assist in evaluating candidates in addition to course work, organise regular seminars to sensitise the public about its programmes, seek more funding from the Federal Government, among others.

    Commending NABTEB for opening its doors to reforms, Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Mr Olawumi Gasper said the rebranding would make the NTC (National Technical Certificates) qualifications better appreciated in Nigeria.

    “There are so many challenges which we have brought to the fore.  If you want the NTC to be reckoned with and patronised locally, you must take the issues of assessments seriously – practical assessments, individual assessments; they need to review ways of internal assessment. We must congratulate NABTEB for opening its doors to reforms,”  he  said.

    Also speaking, Mrs Bolaji Osime, CEO, Global International College, Ikoyi, who chaired the event, said it is now very important that Nigerian schools prepare ready professionals for the world of work.

    “With unemployment at its highest, it is critical that institutions must prepare future-ready students, they must be responsive by providing them with education that is relevant for employment in the private sector.  Industry experts, NBTE, NABTEB, schools state governments, TVET board members, technical colleges, tertiary institutions all need to collaborate effectively with the objective of producing industry responsive entrepreneurial and student centered education that will ensure that Nigerian students are not only university ready but also career and workplace ready,” she said.

    She urged NABTEB and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to identify the skills gap in the curriculum so that it remains relevant.

    In her speech, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by Mrs Adeyinka Oyemade, chairman, LASTVEB, underscored the importance of examining bodies, like NABTEB, and training institutions to respond to the needs of industry.

    For NABTEB to be able to deliver on its mandate, the Registrar, Dr Olatunde Aworanti said it needs the services of transparent examiners. He lamented that performance in NABTEB examination has been marred by examination malpractices.

    He complained that some examiners do not demonstrate integrity in their assessments of candidates, thereby making it difficult to determine their true skills.

    Aworanti said NABTEB has also discovered that the curriculum is actually lacking.  He urged proprietors of schools to send their TVE teachers on internships to industry so they can enhance their skills and teach their students better.

    “I appeal to proprietors that if you employ someone and he is not so skilled, let him go for training with the industry during the long vacation.  By the time he returns, he will impact greater knowledge on students,” he said.

  • NECA, Lagos Education ministry sign MoU

    The Lagos State Ministry of Education and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) have signed an agreement on construction trade training (plumbing, concreting, tiling and carpentry.)

    The new initiative driven by NECA and Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and which will begin at the Government Technical College (GTC) Ikorodu in October, is aimed at making graduates more relevant to the demands of employment and entrepreneurship in Lagos State, according to Director-General NECA, Mr Segun Osinowo.

    The collaboration, which will be under the umbrella of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), will focus on upgrading facilities, provision of more equipment as well as integrating the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Entrepreneurship Development Module in the college curriculum.

    Osinowo noted that there had been a gap in skilled manpower, particularly in construction, resulting in the recruitment of quacks, which often has led to many collapsed buildings in the state.

    Also he said the situation has not helped by the procurement of skilled hands by developers and contractors from neigbouring West African countries to complete local projects.

    With the MoU however, Osinowo is optimistic Lagos State will produce an army of technical skill graduates that will upon graduation, set up construction/ building related enterprises.

    He said: The focus will be on producing these young graduates, highly skilled and supported to set up construction/building related enterprises as a way of creating employment and stemming youth restiveness.

    “We have since not been able to produce and meet the demand by construction companies for competent skilled workers. The skill deficit in these sectors is very evident with influx of foreign workers. The major challenge is therefore to produce these graduates for employment opportunity in NECA-member companies.

    Going down memory lane, Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye said the initiative was the fallout of the first Lagos State Enterprise Day, where NECA provided its facility despite the short notice.

    She said the choice of TCI Ikorodu is because the school, like its counterpart in Epe equally has ample land enough for construction site.

    Lauding NECA for a good relationship with the Lagos state government, she stressed that the initiative was not only for the present generation, but also future.

    “What we are doing is for today, tomorrow and indeed our won; This new collaboration will galvanise entrepreneurship in Lagos State. With this initiative, a move has commenced in earnest to designate our technical colleges into specialisation.

    The projects which fully kicks off in October, according to her, is designed between 12 and 18 months in each skill trade area that will accommodate 30 candidates at a go. She said the project will be highly rigorous, with candidates being screened via written and interview.

     

    The Director LASTVEB Mr Gasper said an industry approved curriculum would be deployed for the training leading to an international certification of City and Guilds Institute in the relevant trade areas.