By Ann Azuka
525 trainees for the 2022 cycle of the Delta State Government’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) has been charged to adhere strictly to the guidelines in STEP Code of Conduct.
The 525 beneficiaries were carefully selected from 12, 267 candidates who applied for the programme to make the 7th STEP cycle.
The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer and the Head of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, Prof Eric Eboh, gave the charge during the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training (OPET) for successful candidates enrolled into the 2022 STEP cycle in Asaba.
He said that the 2022 cycle is the 7th cycle of the prosperity train of the State Government, adding that the goal of the Bureau was to train, equip and support youths to acquire occupational and entrepreneurship skills for self-employment, productive enterprise and wealth creation.
According to him, “Today is an introduction into the programme. We are leaving you with a new mind-set, a new world view, self-discovering, self-improvement, personal responsibility and personality development, self-discipline, self-awareness, time-management, self-leadership amongothers.
“The programme is for youths who are willing, interested and available. We want to train and nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs who are well motivated, highly inspired, properly skilled and adequately enabled in order to become gainfully self-employed business owners and managers, productively engaged and creators of wealth and jobs.”
He explained that the trainees would begin hands-on training in Catering and Confectionery; Tiling and Interlocking; Hairdressing and Braiding; Audio-Visual Services; Electrical and Solar Works, and PoP, Screeding-Making and Painting on the 1st of September for four to five months.
He listed the three dimensions of job creation training as, “Personal Effectiveness and Leadership Development,” Occupational/Vocational Skills,” and “Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training.”
He charged them to uphold the job creation brand of integrity, discipline and quality, stressing that the bureau has standardized training manuals and proven monitoring mechanism to ensure a successful training process.
He advised them to adhere strictly to the guidelines in the STEP Code of Conduct, warning that any misconduct would lead to dismissal of erring trainee from the programme.
On his part, the Executive Assistant to the Governor and the Head of the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring, Mr. Edward Mekwunye, in his lecture, “The Role of Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring in STEP,” enjoined them to display the right attitude towards the training so as to realize their goals of enrolling in the programme.
Mr. Mekwunye reiterated the role of DYMM in monitoring the training centres across the state to ensure that the trainees receive quality training and that the State Government receives value for its investment on the trainees.
The trainees were exposed to topics; “How to Prepare your Business plan; How to Start Your Business; How to Overcome the changes of Starting-up; How to Run Your Business; How to Find and Use Money for your Business; how to Brand and Market Your Products and Services; How to Relate with Your customers; How to Use Business accounts and Records; How to Grow and Expand Your business from Start-up; How to Partner or Relate with Other Businesses, and How to Cope with Business Problems and Challenges.
Resource Persons: Pastor Afolabi Adun and Mrs. Chinemerem Omonigho lectured the trainees on, “Making the Most of STEP Skills Learning and Self-Improvement Opportunity” and “Awakening the Entrepreneur within You” respectively.
Responding on behalf of the trainees, Uweba Oghenero enrolled in Electrical Installation and Solar Works expressed their gratitude to Governor Okowa for the opportunity given to them to enroll into the STEP programme.
He pledged their willingness to judiciously use the knowledge acquired to better their lives and others.
