SQI College of ICT launches second coding campus in Ibadan

An Information and communication technology school, Soft Quest Incorporation (SQI), has launched its second satellite coding campus in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The institution, which has been accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), according to the management of the college, has its main campus in Ogbomoso and the first satellite campus in Dugbe, just as it launched the second coding campus at Iwo Road, beside Arisekola Mosque, on Saturday.

Speaking at the event, Fredrick Aderinto, the Rector of the institution, said the institution has been a gateway through which youths are getting great job opportunities as products of SQI to occupy great positions at global tech giant companies like Google and Facebook.

Aderinto said, “This is not our first in Ibadan, we have initially launched a branch in Dugbe about two years ago and due to our success, we decided to expand the college.

“Our goal is to make sure Africa is no more a spectator when it comes to the game of technology. We want to be a body that will encourage youths, in terms of job-readiness and all sorts, globally, so that they can fit into place immediately after they finish our schools.

“We have been around for 14 years. We have had products on Facebook, and Google, occupying very juicy positions. When they get there, they call on us asking for more of our products. We have been the gateway through which youths are passing through to great job opportunities,” he said.

Founder and CEO SQI ICT Consultants, Adeyemi Aderinto, said the institution aims to change the narrative by making ICT training affordable and attractive to draw more youths in.

“Nigerian youths are drawn to all things tech when they see it available to them, which is why we make it affordable and attractive by making our campuses look good and comfortable enough to make youths like it.

“We have the professional programme, these are short term courses that can be taken by people who already have some level of degree like BSc, Ph.D., that now wants to include ICT. The enrolment is straightforward and the registration is smooth and affordable. We also have National Innovation Diploma, which is equivalent to the National Diploma, whereby students will have to take JAMB and select SQI as an institution and follow all other requirements from JAMB,” Aderinto explained.

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Seun Fakorede, commissioner for Youth and Sports in Oyo State, represented by Margaret Ogundiran, noted that the institution has made Africa, especially Nigeria a pull of talents in the area of technology, just as he appreciated the management complementing the efforts of the government for empowering teeming youths in their area of ICT.

Also speaking at the event, Ademola Adeniyi, the director, Planning Research and Statistics – Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), expressed his joy at the launch of the new campus, highlighting the benefits of the initiative to youths.

“I am elated at this new development and am happy because Aderinto is a man who has done so much in empowering youths, especially in terms of software and hardware development. We have a lot of guys who are on their own now and are doing very well.

“Information is power and adequate information will be learnt here. The youths will also be creatively, proactively, and responsibly engaged which will, in turn, help parents put their minds at rest,” he added.

An alumnus, Teslim Salaudeen, who was at the event, disclosed that he has never regretted taking up a course with SQI as the knowledge that he acquired has taken him places.