TMCnet News
We Are Not an Employment Agent --NDE Boss(Vanguard (Nigeria) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was set up by the federal government primarily to empower the unskilled youths and other publics to acquire marketable skills which will enable them to set up their own businesses and contribute in nation building. Today, there seems to be a misconception by many on the expected role of NDE in facilitating economic growth particularly in a challenging economic environment. In this interview, Mrs Victoria A. Awosemo, state co-ordinator, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), bears her mind on what NDE stands for and other issues. Excerpts. LOOKING at the activities of NDE since its establishment, many have argued that the directorate has not done enough? I think many still don't know much about us. The NDE is primarily set up to empower the unskilled youths and other general publics to acquire marketable skills which will enable them to set up their own businesses. There is a misconception by many that NDE is set up as a kind of employment agent to recruit people. We are not a recruiting agent, rather, we are set up to empower the youths through training and help them acquire the needed marketable and entrepreneurial skills which will enable them to establish their own businesses. What plans do you have for youth employment because the rate of unemployment among this category is worrisome? Just as a popular saying has it, many are called, few are chosen. Most times, NDE tries to go into different training programmes in collaboration with willing organisations. But, along the line, some will drop while few others will continue with the training programmes. For instance, when we go to organisations for programme exchange, maybe about thirty of them will start off with us but, by the end of the programme, we will be left with only about seven. However, by next year, we hope to re-open our collaboration with organisations such as the Nigerian Railway Technical training school, Niger-Dock, Nigeria Ports Authority, NEXIM, Nigeria Agricultural Corporative and Rural Development Programme (NACRDP), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) etc. Also, the commercial department of American Embassy has equally indicated interest to sponsore some of our training programmes. Similarly, a member of the trade division of the British High Commission visited us recently to find out what he can do as a way of supporting us and how he could collaborate with NDE, ILO and UNDP. Also, the German Technical Corporation (GTC), by way of capacity building, has upgraded most of our technical training workshops in Lagos, among them are the Nigerian Railway Technical schools, Niger Dock, Association of Technicians/Mechanics (NATA). They (GTC) have equipped these training workshops to meet the required standards. The country's labour market is already saturated as the jobs are not just there. How will your training programmes impact positively on the economy? Well, I don't think the IT market is saturated. There are new opportunities which abounds everywhere. You may have heard about e-Commerce and other numerous new opportunities that are yet to be explored due to some harsh economic challenges. Although, the ability to achieve these set standards in a developing country like ours is still a daunting challenge, what is generally needed by all stakeholders, government policy makers, industries, academic, corporate world etc to bring digital empowerment to everybody is to rapidly apply these measures that countries such as India have adopted towards information technology. From an IT nonentity ravaged by poverty, India, today, has emerged with an IT identity that enables her to rake in billions of US dollars in foreign exchange. So, I don't think the IT market is saturated, there are still more than enough room to absorb the upcoming ones. What is your impression of the country's technological development? I think the country is gradually making some progress towards technological development. But, there is still room for improvement. That is why the directorate is trying to pay less emphasises on domestic training such as hair dressing and fashion and to focus more on technical training which will contribute a lot in the technological development of the country. A lot of man power skills are still needed for the growth of the various sectors of the economy. Are you satisfied with the level of collaboration between NDE and other training institutions such as ITBC and do you see them competing favourably with those from well established institutions? Oh yes, I am because ITBC, for instance, do collaborate with University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as most of their lecturers come from UNN. I think that is about the highest level of collaboration. With lecturers, instructors or resources persons coming from the university to help our youths acquire the needed skills for economic growth, what more would one ask for. The fact the ITBC is relatively a new training institution does not mean that its graduates cannot compete favourably with older institutions in the country. Most times, students graduates from computer studies in the university without even knowing what a personal computer looks like as most of their teachings are based on theory while other training institutions, such as ITBS, focus more on practical training and I think the sky is their limit. How will this capacity building empower the country economically? Human capacity building would certainly lead to technological development of the country. The world is already a global village and everything is being transacted on the computer. That is why today, we can talk about e-commerce, e-education, e-business etc. So, I think capacity building is the right way to go towards promoting technological advancement and the development of the country in general. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media. (allafrica.com) Copyright 2006 Accra Mail. Distributed by Allafrica Global Media. |