Determined to bring succour to the teeming unemployed youths in the country, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced an intensive three months Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS), training for Twenty (20) unemployed persons in Oyo State.

Speaking on behalf of the NDE Director General, Malllam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, at the official flag-off/ orientation programme for the 20 B-NOAS trainees in Ibadan, the State Coordinator, NDE Oyo State, Mrs. Steve-Ogundipe Olayinka, explained that the scheme aims at developing the strength of the youths and providing opportunities and resources that would take them to another level of confidence and self-esteem.

“The Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS) is one of the key schemes of the NDE under the Vocational Skills Development (VSD) Department, with high mass employment potential. It is designed to empower the unemployed and unskilled school leavers through skills training in trending vocational and technical skills for them to be self-reliant and contribute to the economic development which would in-turn boost the country,s GDP”, he said.

Also Speaking, the Deputy Director, Vocational Skills Development Department (VSD), Abuja, Hajia Amina- Lewa Shettima, who was represented by Mr. Nuhu Umar, said the twenty(20) Trainees, drawn across Oyo State, having been duly registered and documened in two trending skills set, namely GSM and Makeup artistry, has commenced a three months intensive training which will run through July 2024.

“For us in NDE, it is no doubt a milestone in the history of employment generation not only in Oyo State, but also in Nigeria in general as the Directorate has consciously tailored its programmes and schemes to meet the challenges of the emerging world and in-line with this administration’s agenda.”

On his part, the head of VSD department, NDE Oyo State, Mr Siyanbola Abiola, thanked the Federal Government for helping unemployed persons in the state to fulfil their long-time dreams to be skilled and self-reliant and advised both the trainers and trainees to let every minute of the training count in their lives.

He also appealed to other stakeholders such as the State and Local governments, Parents, NGO’s and other well-to-do Nigerians to assist in the fight against unemployment in the country.

Abiola, also thanked the master trainers for always ensuring that they go extra mile to impact sound Vocational Skills to the teeming unemployed youths in the State and urged them to keep giving the trainees the very best.