iCreate Africa, a social enterprise that promotes youth skill education and training, has announced the 6th edition of The Builders Show (TBS) will be held from June 1-3, 2023, at the International Conference Center in Abuja. This was revealed during a recent press conference in Lagos.
TBS, sponsored by industry players, addresses the construction industry’s challenges in Africa, particularly in skills development and capacity building. This edition will include the African Construction Skills Competition, where teams from Togo, Nigeria, Benin, and Ghana will compete for a cash prize of $10,000 and the title of African Skills champions.
In his address, Bright Jaja, CEO, iCreate Africa CEO, Bright Jaja, stated that the Builders Show competition aims to rebrand the trade profession, uplift the recognition of trade professionals, and inspire young people in the construction industry.
“TBS is a platform to promote technical skills, empower young people to become self-reliant, close the skills gap in construction and creating sustainable employment opportunities, Jaja said.
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In Nigeria, over 43 percent of potential workers are either unemployed or underemployed, according to Tobias Wolfsgarten, Head of Programme, GIZ Skills and Youth Employment (SKYE) Project.
“Our mandate is to provide vocational training and employment opportunities for Nigerian youths,” said Wolfsgarten. “We want to match the supply and demand sides of the labor market and help people find decent jobs that enable them to live a fulfilling life. The SKYE project began in May 2018, and since then, the organisation has partnered with iCreate to achieve its goals.”
Also at the event, Alaba Fagun, MD/CEO, Berger Paints, said: “Partnering with iCreate will help us to build reputable antecedents for those who will use our products. For the competition, we are providing paints and other industry innovations for the participants to compete with.”
According to Samuel Ajayi, country business director, Bosch, this project is vital in Nigeria, where unemployment is high and people undervalue the importance of work. “With more graduates than job opportunities, we need a sustainable alternative, and this program fills that gap by rebranding and emphasising the relevance of skills.”
