As part of the measures to empower youths to compete nationally and globally, as well as create jobs and eradicatie poverty in the state, the Enugu State Government has initiated youth empowerment programmess in various skills such as digital and technology know-how. 

The State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, who paid a visit to the Enugu SME AltSchool Training Programme center over the weekend, one of the training hubs in state organized by the Enugu SME Center in partnership with AltSchool Africa and Copen Academy, to train Enugu youths in Fullstack Software Development, said the trainings were part of his promises to upskills 40,000 youths annually. 

He recalled his inaugural speech in 2023, where he emphasized equipping young people with the skills necessary for productivity and global competitiveness.

Dr. Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the state Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, explained that the digital training was one of the programmes run by the Enugu MSME office and the digital economy team, aimed at equipping young people with relevant skills to enhance their productivity and make them self-reliant. 

Addressing the students, the governor urged them to justify the time spent in training and make the most of it for personal and societal advancement.

He enjoined the tech students to take the training seriously, emphasizing its potential to improve their lives and contribute positively to society.

He further commended the organisers of the programme, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and MSMEs, Arinze Chilo Offiah, and the partners, AltSchool Africa, for their commitment to training and empowering the youths who numbered in hundreds. 

Speaking, Offiah stated that the programme is part of the Enugu SME Agency’s Human Capital Development initiative, offering training in various business and vocational skills, including plumbing, electrical works, painting, construction artisinal skills, cybersecurity, programming and product design, social media marketing, hardware tech, data analytics and visualization, financial management, amongst others.

He highlighted the partnership with private sector experts, which enabled the programme to provide subsidized certification fees and free vocational training facilities and internet access during the training process.

On the selection criteria for beneficiaries, the special adviser explained that individuals undergo assessments to ensure genuine interest, and selected candidates receive zero-interest human capital development loans from the Enugu SME center to cover training costs of the comprehensive six (6) months.

Jerry Ukeh, the Senior Programme Manager for AltSchool Africa, expressed alignment between their organization’s vision and the Enugu SME Center programmes, emphasizing the opportunity for young people in Enugu State to build themselves and offer services globally.

He highlighted the significance of technical skills, particularly in software development, in enabling African talents to compete and contribute globally, citing examples of successful Nigerian tech professionals.