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ABUJA,Nigeria (NAN)- The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has announced the commencement of onboarding for the next cohort of artisan trainees as part of the second phase of its Skill Up Artisans Programme (SUPA).
The ITF's director-general, Oluwatoyin Ogun, through a press statement issued in Abuja on Sunday mentioned that this development follows the successful conclusion of the programme's pilot phase, known as the SUPA foundation.
"In its 54 years of operation, the SUPA initiative of the ITF has significantly contributed to addressing the issue of skilled labor availability in Nigerian industries.
SUPA aims to bring together both existing and prospective artisans in Nigeria by utilizing technology to evaluate their skill levels and provide training to enhance these artisans' capabilities.
It also intends to expose artisans to international certification exams and help them connect with the formal economy, either through direct employment or opportunities in foreign jobs," he remarked.
Ogun noted that the ITF is committed to executing the programme, utilizing its extensive institutional and infrastructural resources to ensure its success. He described SUPA's implementation as consisting of three phases, starting with the foundation phase that includes SUPA one and two.
The foundation phase serves as an introduction, while SUPA one concentrates on developing three essential soft skills. “SUPA two emphasizes technical and entrepreneurship training for artisans, providing them with exposure to certification exams conducted by international awarding bodies.
The goal is to graduate 29,000 artisans from the foundation phase by 2024, facilitated by the creation of a registration platform at www.supa.itf.gov.ng.”
The ITF has also performed screenings across the 90 senatorial districts to verify registered artisans.
"We have evaluated and enlisted qualified training centers and have monitored the artisan training provided at those locations. The artisans who participated in the programme and their training centers have been compensated with stipulated allowances from the ITF," he added.
The director-general indicated that as the ITF moves forward with the next phase of training, innovative strategies will be implemented to streamline the onboarding process for participants.
He stated that efforts are underway to simplify payment processes for participants and training centers. “Additionally, we are allocating funds to finalize the production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and procure Essential Training Materials (ETMs) before the programme starts.
The total of 100,000 artisans to be trained also includes the 29,000 artisans who graduated in the foundation phase.”
He urged them to await formal notifications, as letters will be sent out shortly. A comprehensive list of the 100,000 enrolled trainees will be available on both the SUPA website (www.supa.itf.gov.ng) and the official site of the ITF (www.itf.gov.ng).
He conveyed that the first phase of training is expected to last roughly six to eight weeks, providing artisans an opportunity to sit for the certification exam at the conclusion of the programme.
“Those who succeed in this phase will immediately progress to SUPA Phase 2, where they will undergo technical training in their selected trade and also undertake certification examinations,” he explained.
Ogun further mentioned that the ITF is preparing for another round of assessments for training centers to expand the number of enlisted facilities from 800 to at least 1,500. Discussions are ongoing with original equipment manufacturers for bulk procurement of training equipment to support privately-owned centers registered under SUPA.
“This initiative aims to ensure that the three pathways to the broader economy identified in SUPA are effectively operational.” The ITF is also in advanced discussions with the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to connect SUPA graduates with job opportunities in various industries.
“Moreover, the framework for SUPA business incubation is being finalized and will soon be tested in special projects that are on the way,” he stated.
