The Director General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir. Joseph Ari says Nigerian youths still lack requisite skills in different sectors of the economy, which is why foreigners are gradually taking over job opportunities in the country.
He said the situation has become worrisome hence the ITF in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) is currently exploring different skill acquisition programmes targeted at reducing youth employment.
Ari made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja while receiving the new Director General of NECA, Mr. Adewale Oyerinde.
In his address, the DG said “ITF and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) conducted a skills assessment survey, which revealed that although there is a high percentage of unemployment in Nigeria, however, there is a huge number of graduates who do not have the requisite skills to occupy certain jobs, hence the taking over of such jobs by foreigners and expatriates,”
He added that “With the unemployment rate at 33 per cent, Nigeria is in dire need of a youthful population with the necessary skills rather than an avalanche of degrees with no employment,”
He said it is as a result of this that the ITF in collaboration with NECA has over the years trained youths in different skills acquisition and has gone a notch further with the introduction of apprenticeship and traineeship programmes.
In his remarks, the new NECA DG, Mr. Oyerinde said the organisation has observed that developed countries are doing better because the likes of Canada, the USA and other European countries prioritise skills over degrees.
He pledged the association’s support to keep working with the ITF in promoting skills acquisition and reducing unemployment.
