German Consul-General Mr. Ingo Herbert
Stakeholders have tasked Nigeria to harness her natural and human resources for its economic advantage. Proffering solution to this challenge, the Germany Government believes the best way out is to give priority to skills acquisition and training.
Speaking last week in Lagos, during the graduation ceremony for a new set of apprentices in Office Administration in the ongoing German Dual Vocational Training Partnership with Nigeria (G-DVTPW-N), the German Consul General to Nigeria, Ingo Herbert, tasked the government to give the Vocational Training, special attention.
Herbert, who was represented by the Political, Cultural and Press attaché of the German Consulate General in Lagos, Sebastian Polzin, called on the Nigerian Government to emulate Germany, which brought its economy out of doldrums through DVT.
According to him, as a result of the introduction of the training Germany today has the lowest unemployment rate in the world, as not less than 95 per cent of its youths are gainfully employed.
Also speaking, Short Term Expert and German DVT trainer in Nigeria, Martin Hug, remarked that, “In Germany, the employers and the industry demanded the dual vocational training in 1950 because they needed employees with basic skills and with specific knowledge.
“Dual Vocational training brings a great advantage to the employers and the employees. Through the combination of theoretical and practical elements the trainees receive basic skills and a broad knowledge in their field. After 12 months the employers get highly qualified staff,” he said.
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According to the G-DVTPW-N Programme Coordinator, Kehinde Stephen Awoyele, “German Dual Vocational Training partnership with Nigeria is an initiative of Federal Republic of Germany, and is geared towards rising the employability bar of Nigerian youths, and reducing poverty in the country. It is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and conducted by sequagGmbH.
It’s steered by the CCI Giessen-Friedberg as the German project partner. “The partnership programme focuses on Office Administration, Industrial Mechanics, Industrial Electronics and Technical Facility Management professions- the first phase of the project ran successfully from 2012-2015, and it is now in the second phase that will terminate in 2018.”
Awoyele highlighted lack of company support for apprentices and trainers dedication during the training as part of challenges to be overcome in the training.
But the sustainability of the programme that has trained scores of Nigerian youths in different parts of the country was of serious concern to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI.
Speaking through its Chairman, Board of Business Education, Services and Training Unit, Soboma Ajumogobia, LCCI however expressed confidence that, “Our Nigerian partners will rise to the unique challenge of shouldering the onerous responsibility for this important project and also for sustaining it in the years and decades ahead of 2018, as we collectively strive to build a critical mass of competitive, productive and highly skilled workers.”
Ajumogobia also commended the “consistent, committed and laudable collaborative efforts of various Nigerian partners in underscoring sustainability of this programme well into the future as we approach the inevitable closure of the funding window- a critical success factor from the government of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
Responding, a representative of the apprentices, Timothy Oyeleke, thanked the trainers for providing them with the “keys to unlock doors of prosperity, profitability and continuity for their various organisations and employers.”
Also, one of the best graduating students, Miss Ajibola Sarah Aleji, testified that the programme helped her in getting closer to customers through gained knowledge in ICT, which made her more dependable in Office Administration and Project management.
Source: G Business
