WorldStage— Some beneficiaries of the Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme have expressed satisfaction with the practical knowledge acquired, saying the training had already begun opening up income-generating opportunities for them.
They spoke during during an inspection of the Innovation Development for Effective Acquisition of Skills, IDEAS, Project Centre at the Federal Science and Technical College, FSTC, Orozo, Abuja by its National Project Coordinator, Mrs Blessing Ehi Ogwu.
One of the trainees, Modupe Osundeyi, who is undergoing catering training, said the programme had equipped her with skills in baking and food production, including the preparation of buns, egg rolls, doughnuts and other products.
She disclosed that she had started approaching prospective customers and had already secured an opportunity to supply buns and doughnuts to a school near her residence.
“The programme has equipped me with practical knowledge and enabled me to earn an income. I went to a school close to my house, explained the skills I had acquired and asked if they could give me a contract. They agreed, and I will be making buns and doughnuts for them,” she said.
Another female trainee undergoing automobile training, said she had acquired knowledge of different engine types, their components, maintenance procedures and basic repairs.
She, however, appealed to the government to provide more equipment and expand the programme to rural communities to enable more young people to benefit.
The trainee also encouraged more girls to embrace technical trades traditionally dominated by men, insisting that gender should not limit their career choices.
“I am in a class dominated by boys, and there are only two girls. However, that has given me more courage. I am not intimidated by the number of boys in my class,” she said.
She urged women to pursue their interests in technical fields, stressing that they deserved equal opportunities to acquire skills and excel in any profession.
Another trainee at the Zenou TVET Centre, Orozo, Joy Genesis, said she has started earning income from baking barely four months after enrolling in the vocational training programme, following her acquisition of practical skills in cake production, pastries and confectionery.
Genesis, who spoke during an interview at the centre, said the hands-on training had equipped her with the skills to produce different baked products independently and take commercial orders.
She disclosed that since commencing the programme about four to five months ago, she had learnt cake baking and decoration, meat pie production, bread-making and the preparation of several snacks.
“We’ve learnt a lot. We’ve learnt pastries, how to make cakes and cover cakes. We’ve learnt meat pie, all forms of bread. They’ve taught us how to make bread rolls, fruit bread, honey bread and coconut bread,” she said.
According to her, the training also covers the production of coconut candy, buns, egg rolls, Scotch eggs and shawarma, among other products.
Genesis attributed her growing confidence to the practical approach adopted by the centre, explaining that trainees were actively involved in the production process rather than relying solely on theoretical lessons.
“Our work here is hands-on. We did the practicals by ourselves. We did it by ourselves, and we go home and practise,” she said.
She said the skills acquired had already begun translating into economic opportunities, disclosing that she had received orders for wedding and birthday cakes.
“Yes, like me, since I started, I’ve had wedding cakes and birthday cakes. I even had a birthday cake this weekend that just passed,” she added.
