To commemorate the 2019 World Youth Skill Day recently, skill acquisition programme advocates, De’rayo Vocational Limited in collaboration with DSIgate has organized free vocational training for youths in Oyo State.
The free skill acquisition training, which was held at Race Course Amphitheatre, Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, featured training on six different vocations including textile design, shoe making, bead making, photography, accessory making and Aso Ofi embellishment.
The Chief Executive of the Company, Derayo Animasahun, disclosed that the training was put together in line with the United Nation’s July 15 World Youth Skill Day to celebrate skill acquisition all over the universe.
She stated that the programme is giving Nigeria and Nigerians a different direction in making skill acquisition a first choice option, “this is where Nigeria is going, we are breaking the circle to let the people know that skill is the best, apart from certificate you need to have skill to compliment what you have.
“July 15 every year is World Youth Skill Day, which we are going to do every year to celebrate skill acquisition, to celebrate shoe makers out there, to let them know that what they are doing is different and they can make whole lot of money from it. And for Nigerians to know that it is not only white collar job, they need to have skill to compliment whatever they do.”
While speaking about the participants, Animasahun, a fashion re-cycler said that about 216 people are participating in this year’s maiden edition of the event. She expressed the hope that subsequent ones will attract more people even beyond the boundaries of Oyo State.
The youthful entrepreneur itemized vocations such as shoe making, bead making, accessory making, textile design, photography and Aso Ofi embellishment as areas where the participants received training.
As part of effort to motivate the participants, Derayo Animasahun expressed that the company has earmarked slots of scholarship for 22 outstanding participants who distinguished themselves in their chosen vocation. She list 10 slots for bead making, five for fashion designing, five for vocation skill and two for textile designing.
Animasahun, while calling on governments, corporate organizations and individuals to support to give necessary priority to skill acquisition in the country, disclosed that about 10,000 public school secondary students in Oyo State will benefit from the De’rayo Vocational Limited’s free vocational training slated for October this year.
She opined that it is the part of the Social Responsibility of the company to prepare students for the future to have basic knowledge and background of vocational skill along with their studies.
“We train people on shoe making, bag making, textile design, fashion business, we are trying to enlighten people, in October this year we are training 10,000 public secondary school students for free vocational training. We are calling on governments at all levels, corporate bodies and individuals to give necessary support to develop skill acquisition.”
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
