Mu’azu Shehu

National Directorate of Employment (NDE) on Wednesday commenced the training of over 630 Kebbi youths and women on two vocation skills.

Director-General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said this at the flag- off and orientation ceremony for participants in the programme in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

He said the two beneficiaries would be trained under the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS) and Advanced National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (A-NOAS).

According to him, A-NOAS is a vocational skills training for unemployed youths and women in the state.

Fikpo, represented by Alhaji Abdullahi Danjuma Machike Coordinator of NDE, said the 630 beneficiaries were expected to contribute to wealth and employment creation in the state.

Fikpo said that the 630 beneficiaries for the programme were drawn from the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

“Under B-NOAS, 420 unemployed youths would be trained in fashion design, carpentry, beads making, knitting barbing, among others; while under A-NOAS, 210 unemployed youths would also be trained in interior decoration, event management, tiling, and computer repairs, among others.

“The training scheme, which is for a period of three months at three NDE skills acquisition centres in the state and informal master craftsmen and women,” he said.

The director- general urge the trainees to take the training seriously in order to make best of the opportunity and become an employers of labour.

A cross- section of the beneficiaries, when interviewed commended the Federal Government and NDE for the scheme and promised that they would take the advantage of the programmes to become not only self- reliant but employers of labour.