ITF Trainees to Get International Certification

Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, has said trainees sponsored by the organisation in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and other organisations would soon get international certifications.

Chukkas-Onaeko made the disclosure while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the inaugural set of automobile technicians trained by Truck masters Nigeria Ltd, under the ITF-NECA Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP).

She said the ITF was currently working on getting an international certification programme for its trainees to be able to work anywhere in the world.

According to her, the Fund organisation has also being working with various established players in various industries like agriculture, oil and gas, and automobile maintenance in order to train more youths.

She said that the ITF’s continuous training through these collaborations is a move to support the government in reducing the rate of unemployment by placing technical education in the front burner in the nation.

“I want to congratulate the graduating students, being the first set under the Automobile and Heavy Duty Maintenance and Technician Programme.

“With the government’s automobile policy, I think this is the best time to take up such a task as taking up a skill in automobile industry, especially for heavy duty trucks which are more complex.

“This is a major move to support the government because it is reducing the rate of unemployment among the youths.

“Most importantly, it has been helping the players in the various industries to raise new breeds of excellently skilled youths to work for them here, instead of relying on expatriates.

“The ITF has been working on certifications for our trainees so that they can work anywhere in the world, because our programmes seem not to be enough. The certification, when ready will have our trainees to take exams to qualify them for a diploma in the field of their training.

“This is necessary because it has been difficult to attract young people to technical skills because of the poor remuneration and recognition that the sector of education has been suffering.