….Mentorship, internship, other opportunities available
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Veritas University, Abuja, has empowered 1,230 students with necessary digital skills and knowledge, thus preparing them for opportunities in 21st century technology-driven world.
As part of the package, the school said that mentorship, internship and job placements, in some cases, have been secured for the students to, perhaps, enable them put their skills and knowledge to commercial use.
It further explained that the initiative was from the Federal Ministry of Education for 14 selected centres under the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) with the Innovation Grant Facility (IGF) as one of its components with $200 million funding from the World Bank, as a member of the International Development Association (IDA).
Vice Chancellor of the School, Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, in his remarks, at the flag-off and business pitching of the digital skill training project at the school campus in Abuja, noted that the trainees have been thoroughly trained on different digital skills and knowledge that rules the world now.
The VC who spoke through the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Sasa, noted that technology is redefining global activities, hence basic digital knowledge and skills are required to be and remain relevant in global socioeconomic engagements and discussions.
The Project Leader, Prof. Gabriel Egbe, in a presentation, said that Veritas University was one of the 14 institutions selected from numerous organizations and schools that indicated interest to run the digital skills innovation project as a pilot.
He said: “the project, obviously, was conceived to provide young Nigerians with cutting edge digital skills that will make them fit into the current and emerging digital economy globally.
“Specifically, preference was given to females, People with Disabilities (PWDs), the unemployed and underprivileged. The project offered a three to four months face-to-face intensive training, and a one month internship and mentoring opportunity for all trainees.
“The trainees are expected to have acquired sufficient digital skills to be gainfully employed or to be self-employed as well as ability to work seamlessly either remotely or onsite in the chosen digital skill. It’s an initiative to reduce the number of jobless youth, and to upskill and reskill them for a more prosperous and purposeful life now and in the future.
“It was also aimed at training and certifying trainees in digital skills like Basic Computer Appreciation (70 females, 30 males); Computer Hardware Maintenance and Networking (76 females, 136 males); Cyber Security (164 females, 256 males); Data Science with Python (135 females, 148 males); and Full Stack Web Development (86 females, 121 males).
One of the participants, Patricia Alumona, in her remarks, said she had benefitted immensely from the project, and promised to train other women in her community on the digital skills she has learnt, to enable them become self employed
“As a as a digital entrepreneur, I have been equipped with skills and knowledge needed to develop my own website and create an online presence, and I will also contribute my own quota to socio-economic development by impacting other women entrepreneurs in developing their website. That will help in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 5) which is gender equality.”