The (NCDMB) in Akwa Ibom State has empowered about 250 youths through a three-week vocational training and empowerment scheme organised by (WIIL).
The programme was designed to equip young people with practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills in response to the rising job crisis facing the state.
Organisers said the initiative aimed at improving employability and reducing youth unemployment by helping participants gain hands-on skills converted into income.
The training covered five key areas identified as important for sustainable livelihoods. These include fashion trade, graphics and content development with social media marketing, solar installation, GSM and mobile phone repair and maintenance, as well as business skilling with a strong focus on entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Managing Director of Wedgewood Integrated Investment Limited, Emmanuel Abou-Sani, said the empowerment scheme was introduced after a detailed assessment of market realities and gaps observed in many initiatives.
“We redefined business for the participants as the ability to exchange skills for monetary value, and that mindset change is the real secret behind the success of this programme,” Abou-Sani said.
He explained that the training went beyond technical skills, adding that participants also received reorientation on customer service, sales and marketing, emotional stability, mentorship, apprenticeship and business sustainability.
According to him, empowerment programmes fail because they focus on skills acquisition without teaching beneficiaries how to sustain businesses long term.
