Waheed Olagunju, the BoI Executive Director for Small and Medium Enterprises
No fewer than 95 students from vocational institutions across the country are taking part in the Bank of Industry’s (BoI) vocational skills competition which commenced in Kaduna on Saturday.
Mr Waheed Olagunju, the BoI Executive Director for Small and Medium Enterprises, disclosed this while briefing newsmen shortly after the opening ceremony in Kaduna.
He said that the competition was organized in collaboration with National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to support and promote vocational skills among youths.
Olagunju said that the competition was designed to assess the quality of vocational training in the country’s institutions with a view to improving on the quality to meet the needed manpower to drive the nation’s economy.
“Nigeria has alarming rate of unemployed graduate because most of the graduates only have certificates, but no skills.
“Our goal is to scale up the quality of training in our vocational institutions to fill in the skill gap in the nation’s economy, particularly in the industrial and real sectors.
“For example, we have 17 million housing deficit in the country, what this means is that we need huge skilled manpower in the construction industries to bridge the gap.
“Also, with the country’s estimated 180 million people, Nigeria needs huge manpower in the fashion industry; the same for automobile industry to improve our transportation system,” he said.
Olagunju said that BoI would continue to contribute its quota in ensuring the growth and development of the nation’s economy.
He explained that top graduates of NBTE accredited vocational institutions in vocational courses were nominated for the competition.
“They include auto mechanics/mechanics, carpentry and joinery, electrical and electronics, plumbing and pipefitting, welding and fabrication as well as fashion and beauty.
“23 students drawn from the Northern part of the country are competing in Kaduna center today (Feb. 13), while the remaining 72 will compete in Lagos on Feb. 17.
“At the end, three best students in every category in Kaduna and Lagos will then compete at the grand finale in Abuja on Feb. 19, out of which three best in every category will emerge as winners,” he explained.
Olagunju said that the winners would receive equipment relating to their vocation and startup capital as prizes.
BoI vocational skills competition hots up
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