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By Zika Bobby
The Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State has trained more than 50 youths in tyre upcycling craft and decorative painting. Council chairman, Idowu Adejumoke Senbanjo, said the council decided to target youths more specifically since the young age is the easiest time to master new skills.
Senbanjo said normal education is key, as it is a foundation for success and acquiring skills.
She said: “You don’t have to wait till you get a bank job because you read Banking and Finance. There are one thousand and one people who have made it doing things different from what they studied in school.
“We are in a technologically advanced age where things are done differently from the way they were done in the primitive age. Acquiring simple skills like website designing, programming, coding, printing, graphics, video editing and photography, shoes and bag making and all sort of environmental aesthetics adornment craft will bring a headway if pursued with passion and diligence.
“This is in sync with part of this administration’s drive where we yearly train and graduate young people with various skills. In June this year, we graduated and empowered over 200 youths from the council’s skill acquisition centre, as a way of empowering people to empower others.”
She thanked Showcase Interiors Ltd who have agreed to take all the beneficiaries of the programme on internship at their tyre upcycling and painting workshop at Apapa to further sharpen the skills acquired.
Special Adviser on Education, Youth and Sports to the council, Mike Egbayelo, said the need for skills development among young people cannot be overemphasised, as he called on government at all levels to take skill acquisition very important.
“In Apapa, we have set out a robust programme of job creation through circular economy and green entrepreneurship that will see our youths acquiring skills in tyre upcycling, green energy and digital technology to ensure that we reduce youth unemployment and promote environmental sustainability.
“Our council is advocating for a better future for our youth through empowering them with skills.
“We have designed skill acquisition with Entrepreneurship Training coupled with financial advisory and access to finance component to ensure that the intent of job creation is fully achieved, Egbayelo said
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