Mr Yomi Olufiade, Program Manager, North-Central Talents Management Company (TMC), says so far over 2,000 fresh graduates from the zone have been trained in digital entrepreneurship skills and benefited from N100,000 monthly stipends during the training.
The Program Manager stated this during a town hall meeting and induction of newly selected graduates as fellows of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) on Friday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He said inductees would be connected to local job opportunities, called host organisations, for a 12-month internship.
He further said that the trainees would be given monthly stipends of N100,000 in addition to the training to enable them to save and start their own business thereafter.
He said that there were a lot of beneficiaries of the programme who distinguished themselves during the internship and got retained by their host organisations.
He said that the town hall meeting provides them with a unique opportunity to reflect on the strides they have made through NJFP and to also listen, to engage, and to inspire one another.
“It is a platform where success stories will be shared as proof of what we can achieve together and where innovative ideas will emerge to refine and expand the impact made in the lives of these fellows,” he said.
He explained that the NJFP was an initiative of the Federal Government funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU).
He stressed that the transformative empowerment program was designed to address youth unemployment and develop their talents.
“As an implementing partner, we connect those who have applied and were selected to local job opportunities to strengthen their expertise and equip them with world-class practical knowledge and relevant skills.
“It aims at unlocking the boundless potential of our dear Nigerian youths and creating pathways to a more assertive future.
“We will inculcate the culture of innovation to remould a Nigeria where no talent is wasted, no dream is left unfulfilled, and the word Japa syndrome is eradicated in the minds of Nigerian Youths,” he added.
Olufiade emphasised that their company was engaged to ensure the success of the initiative in the six states of the North-Central Zone, including Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
Also speaking, Tasiu Kwaplong, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of O2 Innovations Lab, and Asher Jocos, CEO, Harley Innovation Hub, expressed gratitude to TMC for the partnership and said it has been rewarding since they started.
The duo said all the graduates sent to their places were well behaved and had been trained on technology, research, and development.
Also, some of the fresh graduates who shared their experiences appreciated the company and the partners for allowing them to learn skills that prepare them for modern job opportunities.
Usman Umar, connected to Nasarawa Digital Hub, and Glory Isaac, connected to O2 Innovations Lab, said they are properly equipped with the digital skills and can fit in anywhere in the world as far as technology is concerned. (NAN).