Yaba College of Technology has entered into a new industry partnership with the John Basil Mandilas Foundation to equip students with practical, job-ready technical skills, as concerns continue to grow over the employability gap facing many Nigerian graduates.

The collaboration was formalised through a memorandum of understanding between both parties and will deliver hands-on technical training to students through the newly launched Mandilas Academy. The academy is a no-cost skills development initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world industry practice, especially in technical and vocational fields where experience is increasingly valued.

The initiative reflects a growing recognition within Nigeria’s education and labour sectors that traditional qualifications alone are no longer enough in a labour market driven by demonstrable and measurable skills. Employers across multiple industries are placing greater emphasis on what graduates can practically do rather than the certificates they hold.

The first phase of the programme will focus on training students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, commonly known as HVAC. This skill area is seeing rising demand across Nigeria’s construction, manufacturing, and energy sectors, driven by urban development, industrial expansion, and the need for efficient cooling systems.

Under the arrangement, a total of 75 students will be trained in phases, starting with an initial cohort of 25 students who have already been selected through an interview process. Participants will undergo one month of intensive classroom-based instruction at Yabatech, followed by two months of industry attachment. The attachment phase will allow students to apply their technical knowledge in real work environments under professional supervision.

The structure of the programme aligns with Yabatech’s broader strategy of strengthening graduate employability by embedding practical skills into academic pathways. With a student population of over 36,000 enrolled across about 90 academic programmes, the institution has increasingly relied on industry partnerships to ensure its graduates are prepared for evolving workplace expectations.

According to Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology, the labour market has shifted away from paper qualifications toward proven ability.

“In today’s market, it is not about the certificates you carry, but about what you can do,” he said, explaining that the institution is prioritising field readiness and practical competence over theoretical knowledge alone.

Beyond technical instruction, the Mandilas Academy is structured to expose trainees to industry standards, modern tools, and current technologies within the HVAC space. The programme also integrates themes such as energy efficiency, sustainable cooling solutions, and environmentally responsible practices, reflecting global shifts toward greener engineering and infrastructure systems.

From the industry perspective, the Mandilas Group is positioning the academy as part of a longer-term investment in Nigeria’s technical workforce. Delivered through the John Basil Mandilas Foundation and overseen by Mandilas Trust Company Limited, the initiative forms part of the group’s legacy projects as it marks its 75th anniversary in Nigeria’s engineering services sector.

According to Ola Ayo-Adeloye, executive vice chairman of Mandilas Trust Company Limited, the academy is designed to complement academic instruction with hands-on exposure that better prepares students for the realities of the workplace.

“Education, when aligned with practical application, becomes one of the most powerful drivers of national development,” she said, adding that collaboration between industry and academia is essential for building future-ready talent.

Yabatech also plans to support the academy by aligning its curriculum with the requirements of the National Board for Technical Education and Nigeria’s National Skills Qualification Framework. This alignment would enable participants to earn certifications that assess practical competence rather than purely academic knowledge.

Such certifications are increasingly valued by employers both within Nigeria and internationally, particularly in technical and vocational fields where performance, safety, and compliance standards are critical.

According to Mosud Ajala, director of Yabatech’s Centre for Linkages and Partnership, this approach reflects a broader shift toward skills validation that improves labour mobility and employability.

“What the market now demands are competencies that can be tested and verified,” Ajala said. “Even a narrowly defined technical skill, if properly assessed, can significantly improve a graduate’s chances in the job market.”

The programme also incorporates elements of workplace ethics, attitude, and life skills, recognising that employability extends beyond technical know-how. In recent years, Yabatech has introduced courses focused on 21st-century skills to address gaps in communication, professionalism, and adaptability among graduates.

Welcoming the collaboration, Henrietta Adebola Badejo, registrar of Yaba College of Technology, described the partnership as a mutually beneficial model that supports both student development and industry needs.

“This is designed to be a symbiotic relationship,” she said, noting that the institution remains committed to supporting partners through curriculum development and technical expertise.

While the current phase focuses on HVAC training, both parties indicated that the programme could expand into mechanical, electrical, and other technical disciplines depending on outcomes. If successful, the initiative could provide a practical template for embedding industry-led training within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to address persistent skills mismatches across sectors.

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