Youths who benefitted from the 2020/2021 cycle of the Skills Training Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) of Delta State have called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to continue with the job and wealth creation scheme to enable more youths to benefit.
They made the call in an interview with BusinessDay in Asaba, at the end of the one-day Entrepreneurship and Management Training (EBMT) organised for them by the state’s Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, last weekend.
The EBMT is the last training STEP beneficiaries must undergo after being trained for months at the skills centres where they were posted for technical aspects of their training.
After the EBMT, the beneficiaries are invited to receive their starter packs to start running their choice enterprises.
The current cycle of the STEP were 250 but 240 of them attended the EBMT.
Uvwie Jean, 29-year-old, from Uvwie local government area of the state and a graduate of International Studies from Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Edo State is among the STEP beneficiaries.
She told BusinessDay that she acquired experience from the seven- month training.
“It was a nice experience learning how to sew and design clothes as well as learning more about fabrics and the instruments used in sewing.
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She said, “I have no regret in joining the programme because it is an opportunity I’ve been looking for considering that there are so much advantages derivable”.
While thanking the state government for engaging quality and caring trainers in the programme, she said the governor should not look back in continuing with the programme. This opportunity should be extended to more youths in the state.
Another, Tamaralayefa Luwatimi, aged 22, from Burutu LGA of the state, a graduate of economics education from Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, said besides learning fashion design, she learnt how to set up a business, the dos and don’ts to keep business running and most especially how to write a business plan.
She appreciated the state government for giving her the opportunity to acquire knowledge in the fashion and design field, saying she would ensure she gives top-notch service to the society when empowered with starter pack to establish and run her enterprise.
“I pray this scheme continue because there are more youths to be reached out to,” she added.
Eric Eboh, a professor and chief job and wealth creation officer of the state recalled that the journey toward the EBMT started with a screening, admission and enrolment; orientation and personal effectiveness training (OPET) workshop; know-how skills training centre; post-training proficiency and ended with EBMT.
He disclosed that the bureau has so far trained over 6,000 people in Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) and STEP since year 2015/2016 cycle with a total of 1,000 persons trained in the two programmes in the current cycle.
