Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has flagged off a special youth vocational empowerment training programme aimed at addressing capacity gaps in the oil and gas sector as well as contributing to tackling the menace of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.

The programme which was launched in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State is to kick start with the first batch of Forty-Five (45) selected youth across the Niger Delta region and thereafter to the other parts of the country.

The training sponsored by the PTDF is going to be conducted by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and will at the pilot stage focus on Eight (8) selected trades which include plumbing, tiling, painting, hairdressing/styling, tailoring, ICT, Welding and catering.

 

 

 

The Executive Secretary PTDF, Mr Galadima Ahmed who was represented by the Head, Training Division, Alhassan Alukman said the training was intended to develop entrepreneurship spirit among Nigerian youths in line with the capacity-building mandate of the Fund and in addressing the human resource needs of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

He further mentioned that the Fund partners with players across the entire oil and gas value chain to create required human capabilities, institutional capacities and relevant technologies needed to ensure the optimal performance of the Nigerian oil and gas sector with active participation of indigenous human resources.

He said “I want to inform participants that this initiative is not a mere offer. It is a painstaking effort towards the empowerment of young Nigerians. Therefore, I expect you all to take the programme seriously so that at the end of it, we will have cause to glorify Almighty God that we have been able to lift some young people out of the saturated labour market as well as out of poverty”.

He disclosed that, the successful trainees will at the end of the progaramme be issued with start-up packs to enable them establish and manage their businesses. In addition, PTDF will be responsible for the transportation, accommodation, feeding and other miscellaneous expenses of the participants during the training period.

The Director General/CEO of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Dr Afiz Ogun Oluwatoyin who was represented by the Deputy Director/ Area Manager Yenagoa Area office, Dr Mrs Stella Titilola Baiyere appreciated PTDF for its thoughtfulness in embarking on a remarkable journey of skills acquisition at this very critical time in the country. These he said will help a great deal in bringing the youth out of unemployment and further commended the Fund for partnering with ITF to realize such lofty objective.

He further enjoined the trainees to take full advantage of the exercise reminding them that they are not merely acquiring skills but crafting a version of themselves that is more resilient, knowledgeable and adaptable. He said the ITF has over the years developed numerous skills intervention programmes to promote entrepreneurship, employability, job and wealth creation in the country.

A trainee, Mercy Ibene Jagire who spoke on behalf of the trainees commended the Federal Government and thanked the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for identifying and considering the selected Niger Delta youths as worthy of this gesture and assured them of their resolve to take full advantage of the training to impact the oil and gas sector and become employers of labour as well. Saying “it’s a privilege provided to us by PTDF and I assure you all that we are not going to take it for granted”.