The National Centre for Women Development, NCWD, Abuja, has trained over 786 females in vocational skills and various artisan programmes including bricklaying, plumbing, and generator repairs.
The Director-General, NCWD, Mary Ekpere-Eta, disclosed this during the combined graduation ceremony of 2017-2019 Vocational Skills Trainees/Capacity building programme for Female Artisans organised by the NCWD, Abuja.
Mrs Ekpere-Eta said, “203 females were trained vocational skills including hospitality and tourism studies; 380 in fashion design and garment making; 31 in cosmetology and beauty therapy; 36 in interior and out door decoration.
“Also, 32 were trained in bread making and pastry; 30 in cake baking and sugar craft and 9 in Bead’s and jewellery making; 47 in catering and 18 in make-up and head gear.
” The ultimate goal of our programmes is to contribute to poverty reduction by creating an enabling environment for beneficiaries to attain self sufficiency and financial independence.”
According to her, the female artisans are trained in refrigerator and air conditioning repairs, plant and generator repairs, plumbing and pipe fittings, tilling and masonry.
” The female artisan programmes became very necessary and important giving the changing world of work.
” We designed the training programme to move women and young girls from the stereotype traditional skills to withstand the growing demand for skilled workforce in the Nigerian construction industry,” she said.
Mrs Ekpere-Eta also explained that the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, recently accredited the centres’ vocational courses to be equivalent to a recognised National Diploma awarded by polytechnics in Nigeria.
” We have been licensed as a vocational enterprise (VIE) and Innovation Enterprise Institution (IEI) to National Innovative Diploma (NID) in Hardware and Software Engineering in ICT; and National Vocational Certificate (NVC) in Hospitality and Tourism studies; Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy and Computer Studies.”
Ekpere-Eta, also disclosed that the centre was giving starter packs to the trainees, urging them to make judicious use of it for self empowerment, revenue generation and to employ others to reduce poverty and unemployment.
Some of the trainees assured the centre of using the opportunity towards improving and impacting the economy status of the nation.
Folashade Meseke, a civil servant, said the Six months training in fashion designing would provide her with alternative source of income.
” Since I started learning how to sew, I don’t buy clothes for myself and family. I sew them and I intend to open a big shop to enable me generate more money.
Also, Eze Perpetua, an NCE holder and a trainee in plant and generator repair, said she acquired the skill to enable her sponsor her education further.
“This would enable me get money to further my education, as well as train others to do same, rather than relying on others for money and becoming a liability to the society.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that there was a fashion parade by the trainees of fashion and garment design, cosmetology and beauty therapy, as well as display/tour of wares by the trainees according to the skill acquired.
NAN
