has engaged fresh graduates with critical skills, tendencies and aptitudes to improve the employability and market-readiness of the graduates.
Prof. Eric Eboh, the state Job and Wealth Creation Officer, made the disclosure in his opening address at the Job Readiness Workshop under the Graduates Employment Enhancement Programme (GEEP), in Asaba.
“The job readiness workshop are driven by the need to remedy the inadequate preparedness of fresh graduates for the job market.
“The curriculum of the job readiness workshops reflects hands-on skills, competencies and behaviour which predispose fresh graduates to find and obtain employment in the organized private sector.
“The Bureau is also implementing another component of GEEP known as Graduates Internship Facility, involved internship placements of graduates in relevant private sector firms, companies and establishments.
“This is aimed at offering unemployed graduates, requisite private sector industrial and professional work experience, as basis for employment by the private establishment. The Bureau is also developing a digital job market information portal, customized in such a manner that job seeking youths of Delta State can access job market information collated from prospective employers in the private sector”.
Similarly, beneficiaries of the Information Technology Communication (ITC), under the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), received starter-pack items after successfully completing the training phase which lasted for six months and having fulfilled all eligibility requirements.
“Altogether, 549 youths are covered under the 2019/2020 STEP, including 25 Persons with Disabilities. In terms of gender, female STEP beneficiaries constitute 52% while male beneficiaries make up 48% of the total number of STEP beneficiaries in the 2019/2020 programme cycle.
“Today, 27 beneficiaries in Information Technology Services are receiving their starter-pack items including state-of-the art laptops, printers,, workstation (toolkits), electricity generators and shop rent support”, stressing that tracking and mentoring to promote the survival, success and sustainability of beneficiaries of youth empowerment programmes in the state.
He charged both beneficiaries to put the items and knowledge gained into good and effective use and continually build upon the trainings and support they have received.
Talks were presented by Dr. Vincent Onodugo and the Consultant to PIND Foundation, Mrs. Edughom Hanson while two beneficiaries, Benedeth Nkiri Omeni, from Oshimili north local government area, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and Napolean Ike Ifeanyi, Ndokwa west local government area, a graduate of Business Administration, applauded the initiative.
