The Delta State Government has empowered another batch of 250 in fashion designing under its Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), through the State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau.
The state Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh, disclosed this at the Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training (EBMT) for the beneficiaries drawn from the 25 local government areas of the state held at the weekend at the Government House, Asaba.
Prof Eboh explained that the business management orientation was planned to complement the various skills the participants had acquired in fashion design, intended to provide them with information on how to set up and succeed in business.
“Amongst many other things you might need to be effective in your business, a positive mindset, positive attitude, positive relationships and good communication skills cannot be overemphasized.
“You must take responsibility for your action and inactions. Therefore, you should behave yourself, respect yourself and advise yourself at all times in order to stay focused.”
He observed that feedback from the orientation exercise would assist the agency to strengthen the state job and wealth creation scheme for optimal performance of its skill acquisition products in the market.
The complementary training was to fine-tune the seven-months of skills acquired for business in a competitive environment.
“Learning fashion designing is different from running fashion design business”, Prof Eboh said. “Know-how skills which you acquired in your respective training centres are not and never will be enough for business success. So, everyone needs Talent-Plus, which means that in addition to talent or know-how skill, everyone needs many other ‘positives’ in order to be effective in business life.”
The Coordinator, Delta State Export Initiative Office (Delta-UNIDO Office), Mrs. Shimite Bello, also disclosed that the state government had committed about $500,000, that is approximately N205 million, in support of key sectors including the fashion industry.
While harping on the importance of effective marketing strategies towards making a success of a fashion business enterprise at both local and international levels, Mrs Bello warned the participants against mixing emotion with business, urging them to dream big with the international stage in mind.
She noted that the African Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, would come into effect on January 1, 2022, saying that this would open a wide door of opportunities outside as over 50 African countries are signatories to the trade agreement.
She said that Delta State was excited about access to scores of hundreds of people even for the fashion industry, which forms “a huge part of that market.”
Accordingly, Bello urged the beneficiaries to make integrity, consistent advertising, respect for customers, punctuality and good customer relations their watchword.
The Coordinator of the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, Mr. Onyisi Nkechor, noted that the exercise was the last in the series of activities after the beneficiaries had undergone seven months intensive training in fashion and design.
Another resource person, Mr Afolabi Adun, treated the participants to how to start a business enterprise as well as preparing and using the business plan while a renowned fashion designer and CEO, Signature Secrets, Dr Oreva Okowa, took the participants through “the do’s and don’ts in fashion business”, saying the beneficiaries should not hesitate to team up and partner others to run a fashion business.
In line with standard practice in the Wealth and Job Creation Bureau established by the Okowa administration, the 250 beneficiaries will receive startup packs including various equipment and ‘seed money’, the bureau’s chief job office noted.
