Press Release

Launch of Dual Vocational Training as Key to Economic Development

The Skills Development for Youth Employment programme hosts a stakeholders’ workshop

ABUJA, Nigeria (5 December 2019). Government agencies, dignitary from the German Consulate, private sector organisations, and stakeholders from the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector gathered at the Dual Vocational Training (DVT) Stakeholders’ Workshop in Lagos organised by the Skills Development for Youth Employment – SKYE programme funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

The workshop focused on generating interest of chambers of commerce and institutions in the TVET sector to collaborate in delivering 1-year dual vocational training in seven different occupations in Lagos, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Abuja and other cities as a means of addressing the challenges of youth unemployment and poverty in Nigeria. The workshop aims at improving income generating employment of Nigerian youths by improving the quality of vocational training in various sectors and supporting the attainment of higher certification standards in Nigeria.

Speaking on the event, Felix Nitz, Team Leader, SKYE Cooperative Vocational Training said the project is part of the German government’s commitment in ensuring the benefits of dual vocational skills training is established in Nigeria. “We believe in poverty alleviating support through sustainable economic development of our partner countries like Nigeria. The development of TVET in Nigeria shall contribute to the upskilling of youths in construction trades such as plumbing, masonry, carpentry and in other sectors which will increase youth employability and match labour market demands”.

The DVT project which will be implemented in partnership with sequa gGmbH is an offshoot of the DVT projects coordinated by Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Giessen-Friedberg and AHK Nigeria between 2012 and 2018 implemented in Lagos, Abuja and Abeokuta. The previous phase of the DVT project targeted business membership organisations (BMOs) and their members with training centres as intermediaries. The project recorded several positive outcomes which include raising the profile of and demand for DVT in Nigeria and a high completion rate (84%).

The event included presentations from Abuja Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI), Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), and Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) on the challenges and learning points from their involvement in the earlier phases of the project. The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to engage on the essentials of technical education for youth employment, employability and improvement on the level of vocational training and skills in Nigeria.

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The programme Skills Development for Youth Employment – SKYE, is a four-year programme funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. SKYE focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the labour market through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to tackle unemployment and underemployment, root causes of irregular migration and socio-economic degradation in Nigeria. The programme is addressing the supply and demand sides of the integrated employment approach by focusing on improving the quality of TVET in the labour-intensive construction and agriculture sectors and the occupational field of industrial mechanics. SKYE promotes public and private stakeholder dialogues about TVET and supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

For more information, please contact
PR and Communications Advisor, GIZ-SKYE, M +234 906 253 4048; skye@giz.de

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