Anambra Polytechnic Inaugurates Skill Development Centre

By Mezie Chukwu

Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu has inaugurated its Skill Empowerment and Development Centre (SEDC) to enhance the quality and capacity of manpower of graduates from the institution.

Dr Ngozi Okelekwe, Director Southeast Zone of NBTE who inaugurated the centre in Mgbakwu near Awka described it as one of the best among its peers.

Okelekwe congratulated the institution for being one of the beneficiaries of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) of NBTE.

She said trainees would receive skill based certificates known as National Skill Qualification after undergoing stringent quality assessment procedures.

She said the Federal Government had identified 25 skill gap which were role specific under TVET and called on Nigerians youths to key into the programme.

Dr Njideka Rita Chiekezie, Rector of the Polytechnic said the opening of SEDC was another addition to the growing profile of the institution.

Chiekezie said the objective was to produce graduates with one degree and two skills in line with the 1Youth 2Skills initiative of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo administration.

She said the certificate would be NBTE certified and applicable anywhere in the country while welcoming the partnership offer from the Anambra government.

She said the skill sets included
The Centre has facility for eight skill sets including Cosmetology, Welding/Fabrication, Bakery/Confectionery, Media/ Photography ICT/Solar Installation, Block Moulding/Brick Laying, Tailoring/Textile and Green House Technology.

“We are happy that the Commissioner for Youth Empowerment has said that they are ready to partner with us in the area of the startup pack,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Patrick Aghamba, Commissioner for Youth Empowerment applauded the institution for expanding its scope of vacational training and encouraged the management to align with his Ministry to enjoy the accruing benefits.

Aghamba said the 1Youth 2 Skills empowerment programme of the Anambra Government had been endorsed by the Federal Government and proposed for implementation across the country.

He said the programme not only armed youths with skills but also provided them with start up packs to enable them contribute to the society and create wealth.

He state the state government was impressed with the skills development initiative of the institution and promised to partner with them.

“I encourage you to come to the ministry and see what we are doing in our 1Youth 2Skills programme and align with it.

“If you work with you, your student can benefit what our trainees benefit, they will stand a chance to get start up packs,” he said.

Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the Commissioner for Education represented by Dr Oyibo Alor, the Director Higher Education in the ministry congratulated the institution and called on students to key in for self-reliance and wealth creation.

Mr Ugochukwu Odogwu, Director SEDC AnsPoly encouraged students to take their training seriously as there were qualified resource persons and assessors to train and certify them.

Odogwu said skills were important because they solved problems and generated wealth for the individual..