ABIA STATE EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT (E4E) PROGRAMME KICK-STARTS WITH A 2-DAY WORKSHOP FOR ICT TRAINERS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM FOR THE PILOT PROJECT FOR IT PRACTITIONERS COURSE (E4EITQ).

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Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, during his inaugural speech, promised to train and empower 100,000 unemployed youths in Abia State during his tenure as the Governor of Abia State.
Kiara College, a consulting firm with local and international experience in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) was contracted to achieve this objective. It established and now oversees the Abia State Education for Employment (E4E) Programme – a Special Purpose Vehicle utilising modern apprenticeship (Work Based Learning) methods to manage the training of the identified youths across the 17 LGAs of State. A Labour Market Information System (LMIS) was set up by the consultant and has been used to capture and profile the data of 35,670 unemployed youths in the State as well as 1,570 participating members of the Organised Private Sector where they will be placed. Data of potential trainers have also been captured. Participants are now being verified and issued with ID cards/ATM cards in partnership with First Bank Nigeria Plc to facilitate remittances for transportation costs to training centres and post training support where applicable.
After analysing the collected data to date, we have decided to start a pilot project that involves the training of 500 applcants in IT for Practioners’ course. The course will enable the graduates gain the competency to work as IT Support Staff or establish their own IT Support Centres (Cybercafes) depending on their entreprenueral skills.
To ensure that this programme is delivered according to international best practices, Kiara College conducted a 2-day capacity building workshop on the 24th and 25th January, 2017 at Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Centre, Umuahia for IT Facilitators/Trainers from the State Adult Education Agency, Private Training Providers from E4E approved centres in the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State, Nigeria as well as relevant members of the Organised Private Sector where they will be placed for hands on training. Subsequently, a Quality Assurance Team (QAT) drawn from Governors’ Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Youth Development, Agency for Mass Literacy and Adult Education as well as Ministry of Science and Technology have being engaged to effectively monitor and deliver the project. The LMIS will be used to track the progress of the trainees from the beginning of the training through graduation and 18 months thereafter. Nationally recognized certificates will be issued to graduates.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ikechi Mgboji enjoined the participants to work in line with international best practices as laid down by the Consultant and Coordinator of the Programme, Endi Ezengwa in delivering quality Work Based Learning methods to addressing the economic and Labour Market needs of Abia State.
In his speech, the Executive Director Abia State Agency for Mass Literary and Adult Education, Chief Akara charged the participants to showcase a high level of professionalism and dedication in the delivery of the Programme.
The specific objectives at achieving the overarching goal of training and empowering 500 unemployed Abia Youths as IT Support Centre Operators and/or IT Office Assistants includes;
To develop a robust industry relevant curriculum for information technology;
75% of the participants will be either self-employed or gainfully employed 12 months after graduation;
To set up IT practitioners cooperatives for the graduates across the 17 LGAs of Abia State; To retrain IT Facilitators from Abia State Agency For Mass Literacy And Adult Education.
To set up IT hubs in each LGA with shared facilities.
However, efforts are being made to create the E4E JOB CENTRE PORTAL where the data and qualifications of all graduates of the programme will be profiled and maintained. On this platform, graduates of the programme will be open to national and international job opportunities, while the employers of labour can access the information on any desired personnel they wish to employ.
The Chairman/CEO Kiara College and Coordinator Abia Education for Employment , Mr. Endi Ezengwa commends the exertions of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in this project in the fulfilment of his desire to train and empower unemployed Abia Youths in the State.