BY KUNLE KALEJAIYE

Nestle Nigeria Plc has invested N3 billion in the establishment of an ultra modern training centre for youth empowerment, designed to support and promote the transformation agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Speaking at the commissioning of the center, Managing Director Nestle Nigeria Plc Mr. Martins Woolnough said the training center will enhance the technical skills of young Nigerians, allowing them contribute positively towards the technological advancement of the country.

“The Technical Training Centre will offer an effective multi-skill 18 months training program in Electro-Mechanical-Automation and Instrumentation Engineering. The course module consists of eight months theory and practical based on the course outline of the City and Guilds of London Technicians Examinations Certificate infused with elements of Nestlé’s operations” he said.

To further harness the technical skills of the students, Mr Martins stressed that the training program will end with a 10-month industrial experience in various Plants within the factory ranging from Cereals Processing Engineering to Culinary Processing Engineering to Beverage Processing Engineering, Nestlé Waters Plant, Basic Utility Engineering (Boiler, Compressor, Pumps, and Cooling etc), among others.

The Nestle boss added that the programme is tailored along the syllabus of the City and Guilds of London Technicians Examinations Certificates which comes in three levels hence the students will be groomed to take each level of the exam every 6 months.

At the end of the training program, the student will be awarded a Nestlé Certificate of Participation. In addition, they will be expected to have successfully undertaken all three levels of the City and Guilds of London Technicians Examinations

Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) Dr Umar Bindir lauded the facility saying that the ability of a nation to compete favorably in global economy depends on its ability to build and develop technological capability.

“Technology has been universally acknowledged not only as a vital tool for creation of wealth but also as a determining factor for global competitiveness. The level of development of any nation is usually measured in terms of the level and scope of industrial production, commerce, health care, social services which are enhanced by the application of technology in the promotion and exploitation of services. There is therefore the need to sow viable science and technology seeds through establishment of modern technical training centre such as the one we are commissioning today”. he said

Umar added that the ultra modern training center is the kind of private sector initiative that will ensure the realisation of NOTAP agenda 1777.

“Agenda 1777 simply means that Nigeria, as one indivisible country, in the next seven years should be able to establish seven multinational companies and give the world seven international products they will depend on. To achieve this means that our technologies have worked, our scientists have worked, our businesses strategically established and other countries are buying from us”.

He noted that the establishment of this ultra-modern Technical Training Centre by Nestlé is in tandem with government transformation agenda of ensuring the acceleration of Nigeria’s drive towards a rapid technological revolution and development of indigenous technological capability.

The Switzerland Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Andreas Baum, said the opening of this new Technical Training Centre is coming on the heels of the N12 billion Flowergate Factory commissioned in February this year which attests to the remarkable contributions of Nestlé to the economic growth and development of middle-level manpower in Nigeria.

He said “the Embassy of Switzerland is proud to be associated with the success and contributions of Nestlé not only in productive investment but also in the provision of technical education to young Nigerians, enabling them to contribute to the technological advancement of the country”

Nestlé Nigeria and the Swiss Embassy signed an agreement in the field of vocational training at the event.

Under this agreement, Switzerland will provide a scholarship for five students annually at this new Technical Training Centre. The sponsorship will provide vocational training in the field of Electro-Mechanical –Automation Engineering while the five best students from each promotion will have the opportunity to participate in an additional training module of four months in Switzerland, in the framework of the training programmes of Nestlé’s international headquarters.

The ultra modern training centre is equipped with conducive classrooms, standard library, computer and drawings room, electrical/instrumentation/automation workshop as well as mechanical workshop that will ensure effective learning outcomes

Meanwhile the center will admit students with OND qualification base on merit while outstanding students will be given automatic employment with Nestle Nigeria.