Unemployment: KASU begins training of 50,000 entrepreneurs
Kaduna State University (KASU) through its Entrepreneurship Research and Development Centre on Tuesday commenced training of Kaduna future entrepreneurs to make the unemployed women and youths self-reliant.
Though the programme called Kaduna Entrepreneurship Volunteerism Service (KADEVS) targets 50,000 young entrepreneurs within the next few years, it has started with 250 make up of 10 persons from each of the 23 local government areas of the state and the university community.
The whole idea is to reduce unemployment among these categories of Nigerians with a view to making the state investment haven in no distant time by way of entrepreneurship volunteering.
Entrepreneurial skills to be explored include but not limited to organic agriculture, baking and confectionery, detergent and soap making and hand crags such as shoes and bags coupling.
Speaking during the first edition of the programme in Kaduna, Director of the Centre, Professor Seth Akutson hinted that the training remain immediate solution to the present massive unemployment ravaging the country which is why government at all levels should key into it fast.
The theme of the programme is “Turning Kaduna State Women and Youth into Entrepreneurs Through Volunteerism & Craftsmanship”.
Professor Seth took his time to explain what the programme is all about, “KADEVS is a scheme where we are training 10 people each from the 23 LGAs in the state, KASU is also a Municipal area, so if you add 10 from KASU you will have 250 women and youths.
“So we want to train and empower them as volunteers, so they will now be the ones training other volunteers, and through that volunteer scheme, they are going to secure jobs, they are going to secure respect, they are going to help their communities.
“There are questions they are going to be answering in the communities, like what is the problems of their communities and how they can solve them without government support, so by the time we finished this, I tell you, the state will be better for it. Our target is about 50,000 volunteers between now and next year.” He added.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Muhammad Tanko, reiterated the institution’s commitment to continue to help reduce the rate of unemployment in the state, saying that the programme was aimed at helping the participants to realise potential and capacity to create jobs for themselves.
“This is an opportunity coming to our youths, it is an opportunity to get trained and to realise what potential exist with them. It will help them recognise what areas they can be of benefit to their communities and the society in general that they belong.
“There is no doubt that entrepreneurship is the solution to any economy in the world. The centre is giving you opportunity to know that you do it and that you can make it, at the end of this programme you will know that you actually have potentials that you have been seating on.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, who represented the Commissioner, Mrs. Nana Bade, appealed to the centre to give preferential treatment to women by increasing numbers women beneficiaries in the programme in the next phase.
She noted that when you educate a woman you educate a nation, adding that if women have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, it will be more easier to eliminate poverty and unemployment because all her children will natural learn the trade from their mother.
THIS REPORT WAS SENT BY SOLA OJO