Taraba Polytechnic To Partner With Artisans On Skills Acquisition

Chuwang Emmanuel

The Rector Taraba state Polytechnic Suntai, Ayuba Abershi on Tuesday said that the institution is ready to partner with artisans on vocational skills acquisition for its staff and students.

He made this known during an interactive session with officials of various artisans’ unions and nonacademic staff of the institution in Jalingo the state capital.

He said the polytechnic, known for its leading role in championing the course of skills acquisition development, has many equipment that will enhance the programme.

Mr. Abershi said the skills acquisition programmes were necessary for both the staff and students in light of the rising unemployment rate and scarcity of white-collar jobs in the country.

He said, the training programmes are aimed at producing well-rounded staff and students with the flexibility to switch to earning a living through skills consciously developed and acquired from the extra-curricular options that would be provided.

He said individuals within the state would also be encouraged to embrace the training with the hope that many people would become self-employed in the long term.

“This will reasonably reduce the challenges of unemployment as those trained become engaged in various skills as employers of labour.

Abershi said with the present economic situation and realities in the country, “the issue of the certificate has no weight compared to the skills that one needs to acquire for self-reliance.”

He explained that there was a need for the institution to interact with the artisans and understand the motive and advantage of the partnership before kick-starting the programme.

He said the institution would make effective use of the artisan unions for the training, hence there was a need for interaction and understanding.

According to him the institution would not only train those interested in the training but would also issue certificates to people who do not have certificates but have skills.

“At the end of the training certificate of international recognition will be issued, for those of you who have skills without a certificate you can take advantage of the partnership.” He spoke.

He then appealed to the artisans to take advantage of the partnership in order to improve the quality of their services.

Representatives of the various unions while commending the polytechnic for its foresight, promised to exploit the institution’s available resources to the full extent.

The meeting was also attended by some top officials of the polytechnic.

The institution was established in 1994 with the sole aim of providing an advance technological and innovative environment, for excellence in the acquisition of technical, managerial and entrepreneurial skill for the development of individuals and the Society.