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The Tertiary Education Trust Fund said it is set to establish a learn to work scheme in Nigeria varsities in partners with industry key players to outsource employment opportunities for Nigerian students.
The scheme which will link qualified students with industries globally, could guarantee their employment as soon as they graduate from tertiary institutions.
This was contained in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, AbdulMumin Oniyangi.
The statement quoted the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, as disclosing this at a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Abuja.
According to him, “This programme will ensure that while you are doing your academic programmes in various subject areas, you would be allowed to be trained in multiple areas of ICT, and technology, and also be attached to global companies, so that you can get outsourcing work while you are in school and you will earn significant income.
“So for the students who are going to key into this programme, which will be launched very soon on a national scale, we are supporting all the institutions to create the conditions where these students are learning.”
He said students from countries such as Vietnam, India, Cambodia, China and others were already enjoying the programme, adding that 24 million Indian students earned funds while in school.
“Learn to Work will provide opportunities for Nigerian students to be able to, even in the course of their work, earn a living and be guaranteed employment immediately after they finish school.
“It’s happening in Africa, it’s happening in Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, it’s happening in Egypt, Morocco and Algeria,” he said.
The TETFund boss noted that the government recently launched the student loan scheme because it felt that no Nigerian student should drop out of school because of the economic circumstances of parents.
He further stated that once the TETFund launched the “learn to work” scheme, the partners would visit institutions and administer aptitude tests to students and those who met their criteria would be selected before training.
He said the training would be in over 40 disciplines with designed curriculum standardised and tied to the needs of the particular sector and industry.
He further stated that the engagement would be spread to all tertiary institutions across the country and not only limited to Abuja and Lagos.
