The Federal Government says it has trained 3,000 youths in the Southwest on various vocational skills for self-sustenance under its N-Knowledge programme.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq at the closing of the training on Wednesday in Ila-Oragun, Osun.
Youths who were drawn from the southwest states were camped and trained on software and hardware development for three months at Ila-College of Education, Osun.
According to Farouq, the N-Knowledge programme was to empower unemployed youths to be self-dependent.
She stated that the youths were trained in script writing, software system, hardware and animation.
Farouq was represented by an acting Director in the Ministry, Mr Victor Popoola.
She stated that the trainees would be given start-up kits such as laptops, workstations, and computer accessories among others.
Farouq who also revealed that the youths were given N27,000 as training allowance and N30,000 as transport allowance added that the youths would be attached to their trainers after the training for six months for monitoring and would receive N10,000 stipend monthly.
“This training component is targeted at developing competencies of the youths in software development and Hardware training which will be groundwork to make Nigeria compete in the outsourcing market for software development.
“It will develop their skills and capacities along the skills set in the value chain of mobile apps, website development and start the talent development effort for growth of information technology industry in Nigeria.
“At the end of the programme, qualified trainees will be awarded with certificates and attestations.
“Trainees will be introduced to different schedules that will definitely make them more informed and ready for the global competitions in the global market,’’ she said.
According to her, the ministry has 24 training venues across the six geo-political zones, targeting 20,000 beneficiaries.
One of the facilitators at the training, Mr Michael Oyetunji, said the training would go a long way in assisting the unemployed youths to be self-reliant.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Adewuyi Joshua, said the skill he had acquired during the training would assist him to be his own boss without necessarily looking for a white-collar job
Joshua, a physically challenged, commended the Federal Government for the initiative.
Another beneficiary, Miss Temitope Ayinde, said the programme was schemed to meet the needs of the youth in the country.
Ayinde commended the Federal Government for the initiative, promising to utilise the skill acquired maximally.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that N-Knowledge is a component of the N-Power Programme.
It focused on equipping young Nigerians with relevant skills and certification to become competent workers, innovators and entrepreneurs for both the domestic and global digital job markets.