Programme Facilitator of the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) by the Federal Ministry of Finance in Delta State, Mr. Emmanuel Joseph has said that the programme is meant to expose fresh graduates to internship, to enable them get employed or become selfemployed.
Joseph stated this recently at the end of a three-day training programme for 100 graduates in Asaba.
The programme, which was organised at two different locations in the state capital, with no fewer than 50 unemployed graduates participating, had the participants trained in career development and entrepreneurship skills, aimed at equipping them for employment.
He said: “The GIS programme is meant to expose fresh graduates to internship, to enable them get employed or become self-employed.
“On getting out fresh from the university, they will not have this opportunity; but this programme has afforded them the opportunity to get in-depth knowledge of what it requires to become self-reliant.”
The facilitator said that the training had exposed the beneficiaries to entrepreneurial skills, the details of starting businesses of their choice, as well as how to access funds.
He advised them to make efficient use of the skills acquired, adding that no participant in the programme had any reason not to succeed.
“This is a unique opportunity that has presented itself to them; you can’t get such knowledge on the street and with what they have received here, anyone who wants to succeed can succeed,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Edoja Mudiaga, a graduate of Geography from the Delta State University, Abraka, said the programme was a success.
“I applied in 2012 and initially I had some doubts until I got a reply from the organisers.
“I must say that with the training, I now have comprehensive knowledge about entrepreneurship and I can start off something anytime from now,” Mudiaga boasted.
In a related development, the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Union, Gauteng Province of South Africa, Mr. Trust Owoyele has said that he would sponsor the training of 36 youths from Ondo State to acquire vocational skills.
Owoyele disclosed this in Johannesburg at a meeting of Ondo State Union in South Africa.
He said the youths would be trained in order to become self employed as well as train others in their council areas.
“I will like to train some Ondo State youths in South Africa; at least two from each of the 18 local government areas of the state in professional vocations like engineering, diving, Information Communication Technology and tiling. Other areas are broiler making, underground water welding and pipeline welding,” he said.
Owoyele said the youths would also be trained in modern ways of cocoa cultivation, processing and palm oil production.
“Ondo state is one of the big producers of cocoa and palm oil in Nigeria. The state is also blessed with oil and gas. The aim is to train the youths in skills that will make them key into these productive areas in order to grow our economy, become self employed, train other youths and boost the manpower of the state,” he said.