Jos – A total of 2,826 trainees in Plateau State have commenced the third cohort of the IDEAS-TVET programme, a six-month initiative designed to equip young people with technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

IDEAS-TVET is Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills – Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

The programme, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education, is being delivered through Training Service Providers (TSPs) across the state.

Speaking in Jos during the flag-off of the training on Friday, October 2, the National Coordinator of IDEAS-TVET, Blessing Ogwu, represented by Iheanacho Prince, said the programme was designed to “address unemployment by equipping young people with practical, technical and entrepreneurial skills.”

Also speaking,
the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Youth Mobilisation, Safiya Mohammed, urged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunity by committing themselves to acquiring skills that would guarantee sustainable livelihoods.

She encouraged them to “look beyond conventional white-collar jobs and embrace entrepreneurship as a means of achieving economic independence.”

Similarly, the Director-General of the Plateau State Microfinance Development Agency (PLASMIDA), Bomkam Wuyep, represented by Le’an
Jackse, Director of Administration and Finance, noted the programme aligned with the agency’s objectives of promoting skills development and economic empowerment.

He said the initiative was receiving support under the present administration, adding that “vocational training remained critical to tackling unemployment.”

One of the beneficiaries, Jacob Ruth, who will train in welding and fabrication, expressed appreciation for the opportunity, saying the skills acquired would enable her to earn a livelihood and eventually create jobs for others.

Earlier, the representative of the Training Service Providers, Olawuyi Oyewusi, commended the trainees for their commitment and urged them to focus on mastering the skills offered.

He said the practical knowledge, experience and entrepreneurial capacity gained through the programme would help beneficiaries navigate evolving workplaces and build sustainable livelihoods beyond the training.

The event was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, the IDEAS Project, the Plateau State Government, training providers and beneficiaries.