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The IDEAS Project is currently conducting a training programme aimed at improving the skills of 144 Master Crafts Persons, positioning them to effectively impact the artisan community and their respective apprentices. This initiative seeks to enhance their competency and delivery system, ultimately enabling them to positively influence those under their tutelage.

Under the aegis of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the IDEAS Project training spans five days and covers Pedagogy, Digital Literacy, Health and Safety, Environment and Social Safeguard, as well as Soft Skills. The goal is to equip the youth in Gombe State with vital competencies.

Commenting on the significance of the IDEAS Project, Dr. Aishatu Umaru Maigari, the Gombe State Commissioner of Education, emphasized its pivotal role in empowering Master Craft Persons to train over ten thousand individuals. Dr. Maigari stresses that the skills acquired will be vital for the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, aligning with the human capital development mandate of the Gombe State Development Agenda (DEVAGOM).

“There is no industrial park without human capital, and one of the pillars of the DEVAGOM is human capital development. This is part of His Excellency’s mandate to the people of Gombe State—training human capital to ensure that when industrialists come to the park, we have the technicians ready with the required expertise,” stated the Commissioner.

Dr. Maigari further highlighted that the acquired skills will also facilitate employment opportunities by providing internationally recognized certifications, emphasizing the importance of certification in the job market.

According to Mr. Lawan Hafis, the Director of Human Resources at the NBTE, the training is essential to address unemployment, pointing out that employers now prioritize skills over certificates. He emphasized that enhanced skills would reduce the reliance on government employment or white-collar jobs, allowing individuals to be self-reliant.

“With your degree, diploma, and NCE, you can go and learn a trade. It doesn’t stop you from showing your certificate—having a trade ensures financial independence, irrespective of government job opportunities,” Mr. Hafis remarked.

Mohammed Suleiman Yusuf, from the IDEAS Project Management Unit of the NBTE, revealed that Gombe State was selected as one of the six beneficiary states for the training programme. He attributed this selection to the support received from the governor, the Commissioner of Education, and the proactive measures undertaken by the Gombe system and the project coordinating unit.

Yusuf emphasized that the focus on skills is driven by its immense potential to provide employment and economic empowerment, referring to it as a global currency.

“Skill is now the global currency. If you have a recognised or certified skill, you can travel anywhere in the world. Now, employers prioritize practical competencies over certification. This prioritization underscores the value of certified skills in providing opportunities and access to global employment,” he concluded.