Management of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta has called for the support of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in the implementation of its Mandatory Skills Qualifications programme aimed at producing highly skilled graduates that are employable by employers of labour in Nigeria and outside the country
Rector of the institution, Dr Adeoye Odedeji made the call on Wednesday while receiving a delegate of ITF led by its Abeokuta Area Office Manager, Mrs Bolanle Ajibade on a courtesy visit to office ahead of the 2024 third quarterly meeting of Zonal Supervisory meeting of all (Students Industrial Working Experience Scheme) SIWES participating institutions in Ogun State held on the Ojere-Abeokuta campus of the polytechnic
The Rector expressed concern over inadequate skilled graduates being produced by tertiary institutions in the country, saying MAPOLY is seriously working on producing dual certificated graduates who are well trained in various academic programmes and vocational trades to make them relevant in (the Information and Communication Technology) ICT driven global economy
MAPOLY according to him, has been given approval by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)to run skills acquisition vocational trades in 'Plumbing', Electrical Installation and GSM Repairs under the National Skills Qualifications NSQ Framework being run by its Centre For Skills Development Programmes fully equipped by TETFUND (Tertiary Education Trust Fund)
Dr. Odedeji who also attended the ITF quarterly zonal meeting, said that no students would graduate from the MAPOLY without undergoing mandatory programme in any of the vocational trades in addition to ICT training certificated by global computer education institutes CISCO and Huawei
"We cannot run away from ITF in implementing this mandatory skills programme. We want to change the landscape of Nigerian workforce, we are depending on these foreigners . You can imagine Dangote bringing over 500,000 Indians and Chinese to ensure that the Refinery project come up on stream, it is a shame. We want to take on the challenge of changing the situation. We need the support of ITF to overcome the challenges and turn them to opportunities for our students to fully explore and become employable and job-creators for others ", he appealed
The ITF Abeokuta Area Manager had earlier appreciated the support of MAPOLY for the cordial relationship , stressing the need for more participation of the institution in all the quarterly meetings of the agency, particularly the coming retreat coming up in November, 2024
She stressed the need for students who had gone through the mandatory skills acquisition programmes to to acquire additional skills under skill-up programme of ITF
Ajibade who later addressed SIWES Directors and Supervisors of various tertiary institutions, explained that graduates under the skill up programme would be issued with certificate that is globally recognized and enable them to be employed and create jobs for themselves
Similarly, the Director of SIWES MAPOLY, Dr.Olayiwola Sojobi welcoming participants to the 2024 third quarterly meeting in Abeokuta, described the presence of directors, co-ordinators and representatives of SIWES- accredited institutions in Ogun State as a testament to their commitment to skill acquisition by students in respective institutions
"The meeting is also committed to exploring innovative skill development, so that students in our various institutions can acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to fit adequately into the present demands of our emerging technological and ICT-driven industries and establishments", he
Sojobi who was full of appreciation for the Rector for ensuring successful hosting of the quarterly meeting last hosted by MAPOLY in 2015, lauded the outstanding contributions of Director of SIWES, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta FUNAAB, Prof. Adeolu Akinyemi and that of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Mustapha Usman
Directors and Supervisors of various other tertiary institutions including Tai Solarin University of Education Ijagun, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, DS Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ewekoro, Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, Abraham Adesanya ICT Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo, and Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade, amongst others federal, state and private institutions in the state attended the quarterly meeting
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