More STEP beneficiaries get starter packs in Delta

More beneficiaries of the Delta State’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), last weekend, received starter packs from the state government, to run their fashion design and tailoring enterprises.

The beneficiaries numbering 86 are the last batch of the 246 graduands in fashion design and tailoring of the STEP 2020/2021 cycle that successfully completed all the phases in the seven months programme

The phases included the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training (OPET), Vocational Training in the various skills and training centers, Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training (EBMT), and Post Training Proficiency Test (PTPT).

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Onyeisi Nkenchor, the programme coordinator (STEP), during the handing over in Asaba, the state capital, congratulated them for the successful completion of the programme.

“The governor has given you a seed in form of starter packs. Make proper use of it to make an impact in the society,” he said.

The state government’s gesture triggered excitement from the beneficiaries and they expressed gratitude to Ifeanyi Okowa, the state governor for the job and wealth creation programme that has lasted several jobless youths of the state off the street.

Mary Ekwutozian, from Ikah North-East local government area of the state, said she was jobless before enrolling in the programme.

While thanking the state government for the opportunity given to her, she said the empowerment would help her achieve her dreams as a self-employed and business owner.

Also, Ashi Onwuka (Ukwuani LGA) thanked the state government for the quality starter packs given to them, adding that her enrolment into STEP has brought to an end her search for a job and vowed to put into good use the knowledge acquired during training.

BusinessDay reports that the state government through the Bureau for Job and Wealth Creation has trained and established over 6,000 unemployed in the past six years.

These beneficiaries are in both STEP and the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) while there are other skills and entrepreneurship programmes through which more youths, women, and girl-children among others are also trained and established to be financially independent.