The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Entrepreneurship Skills and Technology Centre (ACCI BEST Centre) on Monday commenced training for over 30 youth in Office Administration and Technical Facilities Operations and Maintenance.
The President ACCI, Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar in his address at the opening ceremony of the one-year dual Vocational Training programme in Office Administration (OA) and Technical Facilities Operations and Maintenance (TFOM) organized by ACCI BEST Centre in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) with the support of the GIZ SKYE Program said, the training is a cardinal point of every organisation that wants to progress adding that basically, it is to give young people the ability to adapt, create technical competence and employment for themselves.
Dr. Abubakar said people may look down on Office Administration as mundane but he added that there are lots to learn about it because no organisation can run without efficient Office Administration.
“The Dual Vocational Training (DVT) combines classroom-based learning with practical workshop and industry experience. This focused blend of theory and practice is geared towards giving trainees a head start into employment since they acquire not only the required technical knowledge but also gain hands-on experience by the time training has been completed. We believe by following this approach, the employability of young Nigerians will improve significantly.
“The process towards implementation of this training started in May 2020 when the GIZ SEQUA project partnered with the Chamber to review the National Occupational Standards and Occupational Profiles of six trade which include Office Administration, Industrial Mechanics, Industrial Electronic, Electrical and Solar Installation and Technical Facilities Operations and Maintenance.”
He lauded the commitment of SEQUA with the support of the GIZ implemented programme Skills Development for Youth Employment — SKYE, funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to ensure the development of standard and acceptable occupational profiles and curriculum for Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria, and for supporting the Chambers of Commerce in implementing this training.
Speaking on behalf of GIZ -SKYE, TVET partnership coordinator SEQUA, Jonathan Osadolor said the programme is designed by the private sector, for the private sector and to be accessed by the private sector.
“It’s a competency-based programme. These participants are the first to participate in this programme and I urge them all to take it serious because it will benefit them.”
He also said the programme is fundamental to the growth of the private sector while urging the participants to take the programe seriously adding that the program is open to technical input from the private sector organizations.
The Director, ACCI BEST Centre, Ms. Tinuke Temitope who gave an overview of the project revealed that the training will be practical both in the classroom and also in workplaces. She also stated that the training is competency-based and participants will be issued national certification at the end of the programme.
“The programme is going to last for one year. The OA trainees will spend one week in the classroom and one week on the job placement, while TFOM participants will spend 3months in class and 9months on job placement. The sponsored program started with the development of National Occupational Standard.”
The Director-General ACCI, Victoria Akai appreciated the partners and sponsor for their support while lauding the trainees for choosing to participate because without them there will be no one to train.
She said she looked forward to the full participation of the students while urging them to focus to enable them to achieve the aim of learning and become professionals in their various fields.