The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) said it had in 2019 trained 700 youths in InfoTech as a means of bridging the skill gap in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
The Director-General of the fund, Sir Joseph Ari, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Jos at the 2019 ITF Merit Award Ceremony, said the beneficiaries were drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country
Ari said that due to the evident gaps in knowledge and skills in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) the Fund initiated the InfoTech Skills Empowerment Programme (ISEP).
He said the trainees whom were mostly degree holders, were carefully selected and equipped with specialised ICT skills, and that they were trained in advanced computer networking, computer networking certification and computer hardware maintenance and repair.
He also disclosed that 80 per cent of the trainees that the fund trained passed the certification examination, adding that with the international certification, the beneficiaries could compete for jobs outside the shores of the country.
The director-general said in 2016 the ITF in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) conducted skills Gap Survey in six priority sectors of the national economy and it showed that vacancies existed in the service, agriculture, construction and transportation sectors.
He said that the survey showed that vacancies were filled by non-Nigerians because of the absence of Nigerians with the requisite technical skills.
He said in an effort to bridge the gap, the fund initiated a number of skills acquisition programmes particularly targeted at the sectors with manpower deficiency.
Ari further disclosed that the fund had disbursed the sum of N2, 094,407,000 for the students Industrial Training Work Experience scheme (SIWES) in 2019 as student and supervisory allowances.
He said that N1,645,454,000.00 was disbursed as student allowances for 142,462 students from 325 tertiary institutions.
He said that SIWES which was the brain child of the ITF was initiated to provide students of engineering, technical and allied disciplines with practical experience of the real work situations they were likely to find after graduation.
Gov. Simon Lalong in his remarks, commended the fund for training and empowering many Plateau youths.
The governor, who was represented by his Commissioner for special duties, Mr Irimiya Werr, said that the ITF was the federal agency in the state that had contributed most to the state in various aspects.
ITF Isolo Area Office emerged the best Area Office in training activities in the Category A, while the Abeokuta Area Office emerged as the best training Office in the category B; and the Akure Area Office emerged as the best in Category C.
Similarly, the Abuja Area Office emerged as the best Area Office in revenue generation in category A, while the Lagos Area Office and the Gwawalada Area Offices emerged as the best Area Offices in revenue generation in the category B and C, respectively.
The Abeokuta Area Office emerged as the best performing Area Office and Training Centre in category A, while Lagos Area Office and Gwawalada Area Offices emerged as the best performing Area Offices and Training Centres in category B and C, respectively.
The director-general urged the awardees not to relent in their efforts, but should work proactively for the betterment of the fund.(NAN)
 said it had in 2019 trained 700 youths in InfoTech as a means of bridging the skill gap in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.){kind=link}