The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) says it has trained over 300,000 youths in various skills since 2013.
The Jos Zonal Director of the fund, Mr Sulyman Ningi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Jos, during an interactive session it organised for stakeholders with the theme: ” The Role of the Private Sector in Promoting Skills Acquisition and Job Creation for National Development “.
Ningi was represented by the Jos Area Office Manager of the fund, Mrs Khadijatu Sani.
He said the ITF conducted the programme through its National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) which trained the youths in various skills such as garment making, welding and fabrication, Plaster of Paris (POP) installation and Tiling.
According to him, the youths were also trained in skills such as photography, solar panel Installation, Aluminum fabrication and installation.
The zonal director said the graduates of the various intervention skills training programmes were given startup kits to enable them to start their small scale businesses immediately after graduation.
According to him, the trainees are being tracked to monitor their progress.
He said government alone could not bridge the existing youth unemployment gap, expressing the need for the private sector to assist in bridging the gap.
Ningi said the fund was working hard in ensuring that the teaming unemployed youths across the country were equipped with the relevant technical skills that would make them self reliant and job creators.
This, he said, informed the idea of the interactive forum.
Prof. Ekoja Ekoja, of the faculty of Management Sciences, University of Jos, who delivered the keynote address, called on the private sector and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to, apart from focusing on improving health through various health interventions, also concentrate on empowering people, especially youths on skills acquisition.
Ekoja also said the private sector should open up channels that would help to boost the patronage and sourcing of funds for the small skill businesses.