The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and ERYK Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Nigerian youths to acquire skills from Europe and other parts of the world.
The Executive Secretary, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said this in Abuja on Wednesday at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Nigerian Youth Skills Empowerment (NYSE) II Programme.
Bugaje said the NYSE was a gateway in empowering Nigerian youths with global-needed skills that would give them edge in what they do.
He noted that Nigeria with over 60 per cent youth population under age 25 and with the youngest population across the world, there was need to take youth skills serious.
According to him, unemployment is very high and this is largely responsible for the social unrest, crimes and other vices.
“Therefore, something must be done to give hope to Nigerian youths.
“The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu in January 2022 approved the proposal for NYSE to give opportunity to youths with skills to go for further training and take jobs across Europe.
“In January 2023, we discovered ERYK and started talking with them and our plan was to train Nigerians to give them the EU qualification.
“If we look at it, Nigerian youths are taking the risk for better life without skills. If they have skills, they will be welcomed to any part of the world with red carpet.
“If we give our youths skills, it will enable them to migrate and contribute to the economy of the world and in turn we can benefit,” he said.
Bugaje said that the training of youths in other parts of the world would facilitate legal migration of skilled Nigerian youths to stem the tide of illegal and risky migration.
He, therefore, said that their migration would not be a brain- drain but a brain-gain as well as would be a win-win situation for the country.
The executive secretary said it would also create employment opportunities for polytechnic graduates that would drive increased enrollment in the polytechnics.
He said that the training would enable successful candidates to acquire European skills certification as electricians to address the skilled labour deficit.
On his part, the President, ERYK Group, Mr Moller Jens-Christian, urged the Nigerian Government and Europe to build a strong wall between the two countries for the future of the youths.
Jens-Christian also called on Nigerian Government to continue to contribute to the economy of the world through skill empowerment.
“The key issue regarding skill is education. Education, therefore, cannot do it alone, we need skills.
“To have success, we need education and economy and we must all contribute to the economy of the world and this can happen through skills,” he said.
The Rector, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, Dr Samuel Kalagbor, pledged to support the skills as well as publicise the benefits of the programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ERYK Group is an international technical service provider in electrical and mechanical assembly, installation and commissioning services worldwide to train Nigerian polytechnic students.
The selected candidates are to undergo hands-on practical training in ERYK’s live projects in private sector in Poland and Denmark.
In attendance were representatives of Poland and Denmark Governments, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Education, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria. (NAN)