National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has described the establishment of the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development (KIVTSD) as a bold and visionary step towards creating jobs and addressing unemployment in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Professor Idris Bugaje, stated this while receiving the management of the institute on a courtesy visit to his office in Kaduna.
Professor Bugaje, who commended Governor Uba Sani’s foresight in establishing the institute, said the world-class vocational institution would serve as a hub for skills development in Nigeria. He appealed for its proper maintenance to ensure the achievement of its objectives.
The Executive Secretary noted that Nigeria currently imports skilled labour from countries such as Benin, India, Indonesia and Togo. He said the establishment of the training institute in Kaduna was expected to change the narrative and urged other state governors to emulate the initiative in the interest of national development.
“With institutions like KIVTSD, we will begin to export skilled labour instead of importing it. Governor Uba Sani has laid a foundation that will create jobs, reduce poverty and empower thousands of youths,” he added.
In his remarks, the Provost of the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development (KIVTSD), Alhaji Husaini Haruna Mohammed, appealed to the NBTE Executive Secretary to consider the institute among those selected to train Quality Assurance Assessors (QAA) under a Federal Government programme.
He said the institute was currently partnering with Panteka Market in Kaduna and had established an Innovation and Production Department responsible for marketing its products to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, local governments and other stakeholders across the country.
“KIVTSD is a legacy project of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani. We are producing job-ready graduates through 80 per cent practical training across more than 13 trade areas, with a target of producing 32,000 skilled graduates,” the Provost said.
He explained that the institution’s vision was to bridge the existing unemployment gap by equipping young Nigerians with practical and industry-relevant skills. He added that plans were underway to expand its facilities across the state to ensure that more citizens benefit from the available training opportunities.
The institute operates three campuses in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf, with NBTE recognition and certification partnerships with NABTEB and other relevant awarding bodies.
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