The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) disbursed over N2billion under the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) last year.
In an interview with The Nation, its Director-General, Joseph Ari, said: “In the year under review, ITF disbursed over N2 billion as students and supervisory allowances under the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme.”
He noted that despite the challenges, which ranges from under appropriations in the face of the soaring number of participants as a result of the establishment of new institutions, the Fund remains unwavering towards handling the situation.
He added that the Fund has equipped Nigerians with technical skills to fill vacancies that are being occupied by non-Nigerians.
He said a skill gap survey shows that there were vacancies in services, agriculture, construction and transportation while Nigerians do not have the technical skills to do the job effectively.
“A skills gap survey of six priority sectors of the national economy by the ITF and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), showed that vacancies existed in four sectors – Services, Agriculture, Construction and Transportation – that were in some cases being filled by non-Nigerians because of the absence of Nigerians with the requisite technical skills.
“To prepare Nigerians to effectively take over these sectors, beginning from 2016, the Fund initiated a number of skills acquisition programmes particularly targeted at these sectors.
“Through these programmes, thousands of Nigerians who are earning sustainable livelihoods as paid employees or entrepreneurs that are even employing others, were equipped with skills in diverse trades,” he said.
Ari said the Fund last year expanded the scope of its programmes for the benefits of Nigerians and trained over 11,100 Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation in eight trades’ areas.
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