Akwa Ibom Skills Centre begins training of 500 students

Akwa Ibom Skills Acquisition Centre has commenced the training of 500 students in various trades and professions as part of efforts to boost entrepreneurship in the state.

Governor Udom Emmanuel made this known after leading a team of Consultants from the University of Lagos Entrepreneurial Skills Development Centre for the inspection and assessment of facilities .

Represented by the commissioner for labour and manpower planning, Aniefiok Nkom,, said the training would begin in April adding that the “facilities, equipment and services at the various faculties, departments and units of the institution were world class.”

Earlier, during a courtesy call, the governor said the establishment of the Skills Acquisition Centre was borne out of the desire to train unskilled and unemployed youths in the state.

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According to the governor, the youths would be trained in hospitality, fashion designing, plumbing, mechanical engineering, electricians, shoe making, craftsmanship mason, amongst others, in order to equip them with proficiency in skills and certification.

He hoped the centre would be a “source of economic manpower development to boost Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMES), for the people, change of mindset of the citizens and Public and Private partnership (PPP), for success of centre.”

Responding, the lead Consultant, Sunday Adebisi, a professor who is the Director, University of Lagos Entrepreneurial Skills Development Centre, commended the Governor for his vision and people oriented programmes implemented for the development of the people.

Adebisi also said that the University Authority was ready to collaborate with centre and has released a total of seven Professors, heading various departments to come for inspection, promising to contribute their best for upliftment of the centre.

Conducting journalists around the centre, Commissioner for Labour, Nkom, the Project Consultant, Churchill Westgate, and Coordinator of Center, Steve Ubiam, introduced the different faculties, departments, units and services.

They pledged to provide professional expertise to stimulate the chain value of the center, through curriculum development, train the trainers scheme, and other services as may be required for success of center to contribute for sustainable growth and development of the state.

Other government officials on the tour, were, the newly posted Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Nicholas Effiong, new Director of Administration, Uduak Bassey, lManpower Planning, Patrick Ekong, SA to Governor on ICT, Richard, and assistant director (Information).