About 150 trainee graduates of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) skills acquisition scheme under the Lagos State Employability Support Project (LSESP) organized in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have secured immediate employment following their successful graduation in the first batch of the LSESP skills acquisition programme.
The employment of the 150 trainee graduates who had all undergone 6- 8 weeks of intensive training carried out by experienced facilitators across – Garment Making, Hospitality, Construction, Healthcare, Entertainment and Manufacturing sectors – was announced at the graduation ceremony/job fair of the LSESP which held at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, March 15, 2018.
In addition to the already employed trainees, commitments for 600 more jobs commitment were made by executives of various private organizations in attendance at the event. The additional 600 jobs commitment is a testament to the quality of capacity building project.
Organizations such as Dangote Group, Samsung, Crown Nature Plc, Whispering Palms, Fahrenheit Hospitality, X3M group among several others led the way in the employment of the trained young workmen and women.
More so, all the 540 trainee graduates in the first batch of the initiative were awarded a certificate endorsed by both the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) and the Australian Vocational training and Employment Group (AVTEG).
Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, said through the successful graduation of the 540 trainees, his administration was laying the necessary foundations for steady and sustainable economic growth in Lagos State.
Ambode added that his administration has identified skills acquisition as a sure pathway to economic prosperity and personal development of the burgeoning youths in the State, adding that the LSESP was providing a viable platform to bridge the gap of shortage of skilled and employable labour required to fill the needs of the job market.
“While the business ecosystem in the State has improved over the years, manpower skills gap remains a significant issue for businesses operating in Lagos. Several firms and industries across the country are unable to find graduates and non-graduates with requisite skills to fill key positions. Paradoxically, there are thousands of unemployed youths out there desperate to find a job, any job.
“The Employability Support Project will continue to support these young men and women through job placement initiatives. With twin aims of capacity building for Lagos State youths and the provision of employment opportunities for them, the project aims to provide 10,000 new jobs by 2019,” he said.
In her address, Chairman of the LSETF, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru said the objective of the Employability Project is to improve the technical and vocational training outcomes in the State with an aim to increase employment opportunities for young people in Lagos.
“This event is a culmination of a journey that started in November 2016 resulting in the signing of an MOU with the UNDP in May 2017. UNDP provided LSETF with a grant of $1million to complement the Fund’s contribution of $3million towards an employability project in Lagos State,” she said.
She further commended private companies who participated in the fair adding that since the application process opened in December 2017, over 13,000 applications were received from intending participants in the scheme.
“Since we opened the application process in December 2017, we have received over 13,000 applications with Garment Making (26%), Hospitality (20%) and Construction (18%), being the most popular sectors. We have also seen more interest from women, who make up 53% of all applicants.
“Out of the 13,000 applicants, we have screened 3,985, approved 3,305 successful applicants and admitted 1,181 students across the 6 sectors in 12 Vocational Training Centers,” she said.
Okauru used the occasion to call on Nigerians, the organized private sector, multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations to join the quest by the State Government to expand employment opportunities in the State across all sectors of the economy.
The Lagos State Employability Support Project (LSESP) is managed by Arc Skills Nigeria, a globally acclaimed capacity building and world-class training provider.
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