Photo caption: ITF SUPA logo
*As over 3000 artisans have been captured in Lagos
By Charles Okonji
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has kicked off its annual 100,000 Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) on Tuesday in Lagos, capturing over 3,000 participants.
The excercize which is targeted at equipping artisans with free technical training, inationally recognized certification, and job placement support across trades like plumbing, tailoring, and masonry amongst others.
In his speech, Hassan Sauman, TVIC Technical Training Department, ITF, stated that this programme was part of the strategies of actualising the transformation agenda of the Predent Tinubu’s led Federal Government.
Sauman noted that the core objective of the SUPA programme was to add value by actually upskilling them in their various skills, adding that they ITF needed to bring them up to international standard.
According to him; “Qualifying participants receive structured vocational training, industry-standard licensing, toolkits, etc. The program spans dozens of sectors, including Garment Making, Tiling, Plumbing, Welding, Automobile, Crop Production, Domestic Installations, and Scaffolding.”
“We actually rolled out the portal for them to register. They have registered and we are here to see them and interview them, and to verify if they are actual artisans that we are going to deal with.
“The SUPA programme is completely free. if anybody says that you should pay any money, I think you should let us know, so that we will know how to deal with the person squarely.
“As I earlier said, the SUPA artisans programme has three main objectives. First is to upskill the artisans to global standards. That’s training: We need to train them to compete globally. Secondly, the artisan will be exposed to international certification, which means that he can go out to practise anywhere in the world. And then the industrial training fund also wishes to collaborate with other institutions so that they can get placements when they are available.”
He said that one of the major objectives of this programme is for the federal government to have a diary of artisans, which could be used to track their progress, even their whereabouts.
He added that ITF can attach the beneficiaries to both local and international markets at the end of the training.
Sauman noted that the training is expected to last for three months.
He said that ITF has collaboration with different certification institutions, both locally and internationally.
“Our graduates of last year actually sat for Turkish exam, which the Turkish people came here to administer and they were certified, which means, they are qualified to practice in any part of the world. It is a world-recognised certification that anywhere they go, they will be recognised as practising this particular trade.” He averred.
Speaking to a trainee, Tijani K. an artisan in the hospitality industry, stated he came here to register with a programme sponsored by the Federal Government and the name of (0:28) this programme is SUPA which means skilling up of artisans.
“There are many artisans in Nigeria, but they don’t have the financial support, and the training is not enough to meet the international standard, that is why the Federal Government has initiated this programme. So for those people who are interested to acquire more skill, they have registered this morning and the training will start very soon and that is my own concern because this is one of the areas that will improve the economic standard of our dear country. The youth will have many ways to engage themselves and improve themselves as well.
“As a trainer in hospitality and housekeeping. My aspiration is to improve my capacity and skills in hospitality and housekeeping and that I will also contribute in training more youth so that things will continue to go better. As long as am alive, training continues. If you are good in an area, you will always want to improve to be better and the sky is your starting point, not even the limit and that is why I am here today.” Tijani stressed.
Also, another trainee, Mrs. Olabisi Adetoro stated, “I am here to upgrade my skills. When I heard about this programme, I was so happy to come and learn more, and upgrade my skills.
“I have been practising tailoring for over 14 years, and I know that this training will give me more advantage on finishing and packaging special skills for better competitiveness.
“Actually, one area I wanted to learn before is leather and apparatus, and ITF has said they are going to give me more than I expected.”
