Obaseki Approves Deployment Of New Batch Of 200 Youths In Graduate Internship, Apprenticeship Scheme

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved the deployment of additional 200 Edo youths for the state’s Graduate Internship and Apprenticeship Scheme, bringing the total number of youths under the scheme to 400.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the State Governor on Jobs Creation and Skills Development, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, who disclosed this in a chat with journalists, said that the scheme is targeted at equipping youth with employability skills to lead productive life.

The scheme is an initiative of the state government to engage youths in different career paths and vocations so as build their expertise and prepare them for employment and self-reliance. It is in line with the governor’s promise to create not less than 200,000 thousand jobs, out of which over 77,000 jobs have been created.

According to Dare, “65 of the 200 youths in the first batch of graduates and interns, began on-the-job training on December 10, 2018. The remaining from that cohort, about 135 persons, will assume work on February 1, 2019. Another fresh 200 have been approved by the governor, to also assume on-the-job training in February. The fresh 200 is targeted at apprenticeship in rural areas.”

The scheme is among a number of initiatives promoted by the state government to engage youths. Others include the Edo Food and Agriculture Cluster (Edo-FAC), the Edo Innovation Hub and the Edo Production Center, which will be spread across the three senatorial districts in the state.

EdoJobs, which is the coordinating body for youth empowerment and job creation in the state, operates a portal, which houses the database of unemployed youths in the state.

PHOTO:
Cross-section of graduates who are beneficiaries of the Edo State Government Graduate Internship and Apprenticeship Scheme, after a session in Benin City, Edo State