The Nation Newspaper

Tag: skills

  • Students advised on vocational skills

    Students have been told to acquire skills that will make them self-reliant before their graduation from school. The advice came from the Chief Executive Officer of Suji Moto, Mr Sijibomi Ogundele, who was in Lagos State University (LASU) to speak to graduating class of Mass Communication.

    The entrepreneur, who spoke on how students could achieve success through the acquisition of vocational skills, said university degree should be an appetizer for students to harness their latent potential. Ogundele described himself as a strong believer in self-improvement, noting that university degree may not be accessible to everybody but adding value to one’s life should be paramount.

    He said he became successful after he met Dr Sujimoto Koga, a Japanese, who he said saw great entrepreneurship potential in him and turned his life around. “He gave me an advice and took up the challenge to improve my life,” he said.

    After establishing his business, Ogundele said he opened offices in Paris, Accra, Madrid, Dubai and Lagos. He described his life trajectory as the story of patience and perseverance.

    He said: “As students, you don’t need many friends around you. You only need two or three valuable friends that would help you accomplish your goals. Jesus loved the world but chose just 12 disciples to enable him achieve his goals; he didn’t choose large population of friends. You need to become reasonable when it comes to your dream; you need the right people who can motivate you when you cannot motivate yourself.”

    Ogundele added that he chose to stay at the top because the bottom was crowded. “The man who pushes himself beyond the limits and employs creativity is bound to achieve success at the end,” he said.

    He told the students to have a philosophy that would make them succeed, stressing that success was a platform whose key anybody could possess.

    He advised the students to count opinions of others as significant but never allow people who do not share their dream to dictate the direction of their lives.

    Ogundele was recently featured in Forbes Africa as a young promising entrepreneur. His firm, Sujimoto, is into construction and real estate.

     

  • Internet skills vital to MSMEs’ growth, says group

    Internet skills vital to MSMEs’ growth, says group

    Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) has said the shift in traditional business to online commerce has made the acquisition of online skill an indispensable tool for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    Its Head, Marketing Communications, Success Nmerife, who spoke during the maiden edition of a special workshop for MSMEs in Lagos, said the workshop was designed to introduce them to solutions and methods they could employ to maximise the benefits that the internet affords in growing their business.

    According to her, the paradigm shift in the global focus from traditional business model to online commerce has made the utilisation of the electronic platfrom in business promotion and sales an indispensable tool for merchants.

    The free online technology workshop had Learn How to Set-up, Operate and Advertise Your Own Store Online aimed at equipping business owners with the skills they require to take their business to the online community by operating an online store and selling to people other than those in their immediate physical community.

    Speaking at the event, Business Manager, Openshopen, Adriana De la Cruz Duffo, said Openshopen has been uniquely designed to respond to the challenges of online trading encountered by MSMEs in the Nigerian business environment.

    She said: “Openshopen is easy to use, cheap and profitable. It addresses the fears of payment gateway security. It also takes care of the logistics of delivery. It is a platform you as merchants can adopt, if you want your business to grow.”

    During the workshop, merchants were taken through three training sessions. In the first session, Head, Innovation, CWG, Mr. Tayo Oduwole, introduced the Openshopen online platform to the participants. He said: “CWG’s partnership with Openshopen to introduce the eCommerce platform is in line with our vision to enable Nigerian merchants acquire business enabling technology without incurring business killing own-infrastructure costs”.

    He said Openshopen differs from other online shopping platforms in that it allows merchants sell directly to buyers and have the privilege of promoting their brands. Unlike other platforms that require merchants to submit their wares for sale. “With Openshopen, you can sell your brand alongside your products, such that people can look for you if they want your products again,” he added.

    Mr. Oduwole took participants through step by step procedure of opening a store online with the privilege of creating their own store, each having their unique web address, corporate logo and products for display. Partcipants were taught the basics of promoting their business using various social media platforms.

    Chief Technology Officer, CWG, Mr. James Agada, who presented certificates to participants at the workshop, said the workshop served as one of CWG’s ways of contributing towards the growth of SMEs in the country, creating employment and contributing to the growth of the nation’s economy. He urged the participants to utilise the knowledge they have acquired from the workshop.

    The participants expressed their gratitude to CWG for the privilege of the workshop. Most of the attendees indicated that the workshop has been of immense benefit to them. Commenting on the workshop, Mr. and Mrs. Yemi Adeyemo, Directors at House of Treasures, observed “In fact, the workshop was worth the while, the lectures were extensive and the speakers were very good. We have learnt a lot that we will like to put them into use as soon as we get back home.”

  • How to identify your skills

    Employment experts agree that skill identification is essential to a successful job search. Employers want to know what it is you can do for them-not just what you’ve done for someone else. Knowledge of your unique skills is needed to successfully complete an application, write a resume or answer interview questions. Skills Identification is a key initial step towards new employment.

    Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a skill as “a great ability or proficiency, expertness that comes from training, practice, etc.” A simple definition is that a skill is anything you can do right now.

    Everyone has skills, hundreds of skills, many of which employers are looking for in an employee. Yet most people can only identify a few skills and are generally unable to describe them to an employer. Employers need to hear what you can do. If you’re looking at purchasing a product that will cost you thousands of naira a year for many years, you also would want to know that it can do. The more skills you have identified, the easier it is to convince a potential employer that you have what it takes to do the job.

     

    Skills categories

     

    Job skills

    Job skills are those skills specific to a job or occupation. An administrative assistant is skilled in typing, word processing, answering telephones, company correspondence and filing. An accountant would list accounts receivable, performing accounts payable, payroll, figuring taxes, using a 10 keys adding machine and computer accounting programs. A salesperson would include customer service, record keeping, order processing, inventory management, billing and product displays.

    Job skills are important to employers for obvious reasons. These are the specific skills they look for in a candidate to accomplish the duties of the job. Job skills do not always come from employment. Along with the skills you used in previous jobs, you may have developed job skills through education, hobbies, community activities and life experiences. Common activities such as shopping, managing finances, balancing a bank account, hosting a party and teaching a child all contain potential job skills.

     

    Self-management skills

    Sometimes called “personality traits,” these self-management skills are skills you use day-to-day to get along with others and to survive. They’re the skills that you unique. Sincerity, reliability, tactfulness, patience, flexibility, timeliness and tolerance are examples of self-management skills. Employers look for these skills in candidates as evidence of how they will fit into the organisation. How a person will fit in is an important consideration to employers.

     

    Transferable skills

    These are skills that can transfer from one job or occupation to another. They may be either self-management or job content skills, and may or may not have been developed through pervious employment. For most jobseekers it’s very unlikely that they’ll find a job that is identical to their opportunities. It’s also important to look for ways to express this transferability to a prospective employer.

     

    Duties

    Many people have trouble distinguishing between their skills and duties. Duties are the basic functions of an activity. Skills are tools to accomplish those functions. Duties or functions are a part of any organised activity, whether it’s employment, volunteer work or hobbies. A simple example is the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of a lemonade stand owner might be to manage lemonade operations including product, marketing, distribution and finances. These are many skills needed to accomplish these functions including: mixing, measuring, planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record keeping, maintenance, timeliness, dependability, accuracy and motivation. A complete list of skills would be very long.

     

    Writing out the duties or functions of an activity first can be useful way to begin identifying skills. When presenting your skills to an employer, it’s best to tie them to specific activities in which they were used. It’s not enough to tell the employer your skills: you need to be prepared to tell where, when and how you used those skills.

     

    Writing your skills

    Identifying, listing and describing your skills isn’t an easy task. However, it’s critical to job search success and you should plan to invest the time needed. Listed below is an outline for skills identification that has been successfully used by many jobseekers.

     

    • List by title a job you’ve held. Start with your most recent employment and work backwards.

     

    • Write a detailed description of four to five major duties.

     

    • Think of the skills needed to accomplish each duty you’ve listed. Write those skills down on a piece of paper. Remember to look for both job and self-management skills. Be sure to include tools used, machines operated, knowledge applied, etc.

     

    • Repeat the above steps for each activity you anticipate describing to an employer either on an application, in your resume or in an interview. Use this process for other work-related activities including hobbies, volunteer work and community experience.

    Once you’ve completed this process, you should have a long list of skills-A list too long to tell an employer. Go through the list, select and prioritise those skills that match your job(s) target(s).  Three to eight can be optimal, depending on your years of experience and relevancy. These are the skill you will use and sell in your job search effort- deciding what you will like to do, during interviews and in your resume/CV.

     

    EkiniConsult & Associates is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

  • How identify your skills

    Employment experts agree that skill identification is essential to a successful job search. Employers want to know what it is you can do for them-not just what you’ve done for someone else. Knowledge of your unique skills is needed to successfully complete an application, write a resume or answer interview questions. Skills Identification is a key initial step towards new employment.

    Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a skill as “a great ability or proficiency, expertness that comes from training, practice, etc.” A simple definition is that a skill is anything you can do right now.

    Everyone has skills, hundreds of skills, many of which employers are looking for in an employee. Yet most people can only identify a few skills and are generally unable to describe them to an employer. Employers need to hear what you can do. If you’re looking at purchasing a product that will cost you thousands of naira a year for many years, you also would want to know that it can do. The more skills you have identified, the easier it is to convince a potential employer that you have what it takes to do the job.

     

    Skills categories

     

    Job skills

    Job skills are those skills specific to a job or occupation. An administrative assistant is skilled in typing, word processing, answering telephones, company correspondence and filing. An accountant would list accounts receivable, performing accounts payable, payroll, figuring taxes, using a 10 keys adding machine and computer accounting programs. A salesperson would include customer service, record keeping, order processing, inventory management, billing and product displays.

    Job skills are important to employers for obvious reasons. These are the specific skills they look for in a candidate to accomplish the duties of the job. Job skills do not always come from employment. Along with the skills you used in previous jobs, you may have developed job skills through education, hobbies, community activities and life experiences. Common activities such as shopping, managing finances, balancing a bank account, hosting a party and teaching a child all contain potential job skills.

     

    Self-management skills

    Sometimes called “personality traits,” these self-management skills are skills you use day-to-day to get along with others and to survive. They’re the skills that you unique. Sincerity, reliability, tactfulness, patience, flexibility, timeliness and tolerance are examples of self-management skills. Employers look for these skills in candidates as evidence of how they will fit into the organisation. How a person will fit in is an important consideration to employers.

     

    Transferable skills

    These are skills that can transfer from one job or occupation to another. They may be either self-management or job content skills, and may or may not have been developed through pervious employment. For most jobseekers it’s very unlikely that they’ll find a job that is identical to their opportunities. It’s also important to look for ways to express this transferability to a prospective employer.

     

    Duties

    Many people have trouble distinguishing between their skills and duties. Duties are the basic functions of an activity. Skills are tools to accomplish those functions. Duties or functions are a part of any organised activity, whether it’s employment, volunteer work or hobbies. A simple example is the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of a lemonade stand owner might be to manage lemonade operations including product, marketing, distribution and finances. These are many skills needed to accomplish these functions including: mixing, measuring, planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record keeping, maintenance, timeliness, dependability, accuracy and motivation. A complete list of skills would be very long.

     

    Writing out the duties or functions of an activity first can be useful way to begin identifying skills. When presenting your skills to an employer, it’s best to tie them to specific activities in which they were used. It’s not enough to tell the employer your skills: you need to be prepared to tell where, when and how you used those skills.

     

    Writing your skills

    Identifying, listing and describing your skills isn’t an easy task. However, it’s critical to job search success and you should plan to invest the time needed. Listed below is an outline for skills identification that has been successfully used by many jobseekers.

     

    • List by title a job you’ve held. Start with your most recent employment and work backwards.

     

    • Write a detailed description of four to five major duties.

     

    • Think of the skills needed to accomplish each duty you’ve listed. Write those skills down on a piece of paper. Remember to look for both job and self-management skills. Be sure to include tools used, machines operated, knowledge applied, etc.

     

    • Repeat the above steps for each activity you anticipate describing to an employer either on an application, in your resume or in an interview. Use this process for other work-related activities including hobbies, volunteer work and community experience.

    Once you’ve completed this process, you should have a long list of skills-A list too long to tell an employer. Go through the list, select and prioritise those skills that match your job(s) target(s).  Three to eight can be optimal, depending on your years of experience and relevancy. These are the skill you will use and sell in your job search effort- deciding what you will like to do, during interviews and in your resume/CV.

     

    EkiniConsult & Associates is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

  • Graduate trains orphans in skills

    Graduate trains orphans in skills

    Oladimeji Temitope, an Accounting graduate of the  Obafemi Awolowo University,  Ile-Ife, Osun State, held a skills acquistion workshop for orphans at Solid Rock and Covenant Orphanages at Moro, in Osun State., tagged: “Project skill-up” , it was held under the auspices of Precious Stones, a non- governmental organisation founded by the graduate.

    In her remark, she said:  “Our aim at Precious Stones is to infuse love into child early. This, we believe, is the bedrock upon which other life issues are built, and this is why our focus is on children, but in a major way,the less privileged.”

    She was received by a 10-man team, including Odidimu Funmilopeda, the skills instructor.

    The children were taught how to make wrist beads with their names, ear-rings, neck chains, wrapping books with various clothing materials, among others.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Mrs Oroyemi Ayoola, the matron of the orphanage, praised the initiative and thanked the organisers for the gesture.

    ‘The event is a blessing to the children and the centre. I believe that as they practise more, the skill acquisition would not only help them to make money for themselves, but also help them in their future.”

    Temitope reiterated their commitment to the project saying:  “our vision is to be global agents of change and hope while our mission is to reach the unreached and also  bring children of different race and tribe to the awareness and consciousness of God’s love.”

  • NDE commissions skills acquisition centre

    NDE commissions skills acquisition centre

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commissioned a model skills acquisition centre capable of accommodating 250 trainees in different trades.

    Its Director General, Malam Abubakar Mohammed said the centre, located at Kuduru District, Bwari Area Council, is fully equipped with modern tools and equipment for both technical and agricultural vocations.

    Mohammed added that the centre, which has boarding facilities in a conducive environment for effective and efficient skills empowerment, will produce a pool of sound artisans as well as modern farmers relative to the demand of the economy and the nation at large.

    He said the skill-sets currently offered, but which would be expanded in the future, are welding, computer operation/maintenance, mobile phone repairs, plumbing, electrical installation, hair dressing, catering, interior decoration, radio/TV repairs, auto electrical, fashion design, cane furniture making, video/photography, satellite installation/maintenance, knitting, soap making, motorcycle repairs and food processing.

    Some of the skills will have between two to four different sets of trainees annually at no cost to beneficiaries.

    The NDE boss said to date, the directorate has established 74 centres nationwide, adding that 64 are fully operational while 10 are at various stages of completion.

    He said youths do not have any reason to remain idle at home. “Learn some vocational skills. It is a vehicle for you to reassert your  dignity, occupy a productive place, feel useful and contribute positively to the family, community and the nation at large,” he said.

  • ‘Skills database will modify educational efforts’

    A systematic collection and dissemination of information regarding skills requirement of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) would help Nigeria address skills gap among youths, says Mr Olawumi Gasper, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).

    Gasper, who was the lead presenter at the 22nd conference of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITAD) in Abuja, said such framework would be useful for schools to determine the kind of training skills and competencies they should provide students with to ensure relevant labour supply.

    He said: “It is also important to stress that investment in human capital alone can increase the number of skilled workers but not necessarily the number of jobs for them. On the other hand increased technology transfer alone without appropriately prepared skilled workers and managers is not likely to sustain job growth. Therefore supplies of training, workers and the supplies of employment must maintain an effective equilibrium of vocational skills development for enterprise growth”, he said.

    Underscoring the importance of vocational and enterprise training at the conference which had as theme:  Learning and development: Pre-requisite to skills and entrepreneurial growth’, Gasper said developed countries used them to build their economies.

    “In our clime for so long we did not focus enough on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship education, as we valued and still value formal education. Today those with vocational skills and possessing required skill sets are in high demand and those who are imbued with entrepreneurship education are current game changers”, he said.

    Gasper, an engineer, added that skills acquisition with doses of enterprise education are an important part of Nigeria’s education policy and would help produce skillful and talented people who can create wealth and value.

    Other papers presented at the conference included: ‘Digital fluency for entrepreneurial success in the 21st Century’ by Dr Niran Oyekale; Managing Director, Commit Technology and Consult Ltd, and ‘Professional and practical viewpoint for building entrepreneurship’ by Dr Rotimi Oladele, a lecturer at the Lagos State University.

    The presenters affirmed that education is continuous and should be developmental while trainers must keep on educating themselves as training will bring about change of attitude, improved skills and performance.

    They also advised NITAD to develop programmes that combine vocational training and enterprise education and counseled that governments at various levels should tap into the resources of the local environment for the growth of the youth.

    In his address, Dr Kayode Ogungbuyi, President and Chairman of Council, NITAD, said the theme of the conference was timely, in light of the complaints by many employers about lack of employee skills in many areas.

    Also speaking, Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Mr Laolu Oguntuyi, urged young people to embrace learning and development.

    “Learning and development is seen as one of the pre-conditions for entrepreneurship development, particularly in a place where the spirit and culture is minimal. There is no gain saying the fact that learning and development is key and that it plays a strong role in forming the burgeoning entrepreneur”, he said.

     

     

  • Don preaches skills acquisition

    For Nigeria to overcome the challenges of sustainable development and growth, there is need for review of curriculum of tertiary institutions, which must emphasise skills acquisition. This was the submission of Prof Ayodeji Olukoju, Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University in Imota, Lagos.

    The VC made the suggestion at a conference of School of Business and Management Studies, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH). He was the lead speaker at the conference with the theme: Sustainability of political, economic and educational systems in developing countries.

    Olukoju said: “The curriculum of formal institutions needs a strong element of skills acquisition and vocational training. For those of us in tertiary institutions, the relevant questions to answer at this juncture are: should tertiary institutions provide general knowledge or specialist training? What should universities, polytechnics and colleges of education be doing? To what extent do we maintain academic standards and remain globally competitive?  I wish to suggest that a holistic curriculum is required to at this stage of our national development.

    “We need to produce graduates of tertiary institutions who can work with their hands and think on their feet. Ultimately, we should make our education sector more directly relevant to the needs of the economy and society. Entrepreneurial education and vocational training should form the backbone of the curricula.”

    Olukoju urged students to avoid demanding grades from lecturers, saying they should instead submit themselves to quality peer review.

    He added: “Students should engage in skilled jobs and as well face their studies because skill acquisition and academics qualification produce better output as a graduate.”

  • Institute holds training on skills development

    Institute holds training on skills development

    Good work ethics, positive attitude, communication skills, team building and creative thinking are some of the skills participants will gain at the 22nd Annual Trainers Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITAD)which holds from August 22 to 26 at the Rock View Hotel, Wuse, in Abuja.

    Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Mr Laolu Oguntuyi said at a briefing in Lagos that these skills are not taught in schools though employers price them high.

    He said participants will learn about these skills and more at the conference which has as theme: Learning and Development: Pre-Requisite to Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurial Growth.

    In choosing the theme, Oguntuyi added that as an institute focused on life-long learning, NITAD has chosen to address a critical need in the Nigerian economy.

    “Employers nowadays look at soft skills and down play technical skills.  That is why the conference is looking at both soft and hard skills.  We should embrace entrepreneurship.  If we do, we cannot complain of poverty and most of our problems would be solved,” he said while responding to questions by journalists.

    He added: “There is no issue that should be addressed as a matter of urgent national importance than that of skills acquisition.  The importance of skill acquisition cannot be over-emphasised because its role in national development is multi-dimensional.”

    Also speaking, NITAD Registrar, Ms Mofe Akinbanji, said rather than wait for the government to drive skills acquisition and entrepreneurship Nigerians have to provide a platform for youths to learn to gain skills for self reliance.

    She said: “When you talk about skills acquisition and entrepreneurship, it is not about what government will do.  Government has been doing its part – providing money for young people with ideas.  But skills acquisition is about youths getting skills.  There are millions of young graduates who spend years without jobs yet do not have skills.  Going to school and having a degree is not enough.  After that what next?”

    After the conference, NITAD’s first vice president, Rev. Tunde Salawu, said the communiqué would be sent to the Federal Government and heads of the various tertiary institutions.

    Managing directors, vice chancellors, deans, permanent secretaries, principals, teachers, lecturers, students, and others are expected to attend the training.

  • Chase skills now, degrees later, technicians told

    Chase skills now, degrees later, technicians told

    Many young people would love to be in the shoes of the 37 technicians who graduated from the Technical Training Centre (TTC) of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) last Thursday.

    They were selected among thousands to undergo a two-year training in bottle equipment operations and maintenance that also involves theoretical and practical knowledge of automation and mechanical engineering, which prepares them for the City and Guilds of London examination.

    Now that they have completed the training, which Pastor Tope Dada, Head of the centre, said cost the NBC N4.8 million per student (covering feeding, accommodation, allowances, and training materials), they have all been employed by the company.

    In light of the high rate of graduate unemployment, Mr Olawumi Gasper, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), counselled the graduands not to jettison the great opportunity they have to start a lucrative career at NBC in search of university degrees.

    “You are on the route to a very sound career.  Most of you have National Diplomas (ND) or more.  But from here you have gained sound training that would make you to be sought after.  Most of you after this will still want to get university education.  I don’t begrudge you for that.  But never leave a sound career for a certificate.  You can get a degree along the way,” he said.

    With the training they have received, Gasper, an engineer and former Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) said the graduates have been exposed to the secret of technology and should build on it to improve the manufacturing industry in Nigeria.

    “You are so lucky to be exposed to the secret of technology.  There is nothing regarding machine and instrumentation that you do not know.  We expect you to assist us in improving the manufacturing industry,” he said.

    In his charge to the new technicians, the Managing Director of NBC, Mr Ben Langat, said despite having received world class training, they would only be successful if they have the relevant soft skills.

    “This centre has equipped you with all the technical skills that you need to succeed in your career.  But that is not everything.  The different between those who succeed or not will be defined by you attitudes, worth ethics, and discipline in completing tasks before you,” he said.

    He warned them to flee from alcoholism and laziness, which he described as the biggest career killers.

    Through the TTC, Langat said the NBC has contributed to expanding the number of youths with technical skills sought after by industry.

    Counting the centre’s success, Langat said that over 560 students have graduated from the centre flagship programme with over 90 percent gainfully employed by the company.

    “We have recorded scores of success stories of our graduates who have excelled and risen to key management positions within and outside the NBC system through sheer brilliance and hard work,” he said.

    Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa, praised NBC for investing in the lives of the young ones and called for more collaboration between the government and NBC and other companies, saying that it would help curb unemployment.

    He urged the grandaunds not to see challenges in life anymore but opportunities to challenge the status quo.

    As is the centre’s culture, Mr Tope Dada said the new technicians, who are the Set 25 and Set 26, developed a new pallet testing machine (used to measure the strength of pallets on which bottles are loaded) as their project for the company.  He said this would save NBC about N25 million monthly.

    One of the new line technicians, Amaka Adigbonu, who has been posted to NBC’s Port Harcourt plant, told The Nation that she learnt a lot during the programme.

     

     

    “We were opportune to go to other parts of the country – Abuja, Jos, and Port Harcourt; and we were able to balance what we learnt in school with what we learnt at the centre. It was wonderful.  They would not train you on your field alone, they would train you in other things as well, they train you on machine, how you operate them, how you maintain them so you know how to deliver,” she said.

    Students who distinguished themselves during the training were rewarded with gifts.