An Information and Technology Communication (ICT) company with competency in cutting-edge software solutions in the private and public sectors, Vatebra Limited, has launched its inaugural internship, mentorship programme for Nigerians.
Titled Vatebra Internship and Mentorship Programme #VIM202 and unveiled at the Vatebra Tech Hub in Lagos, the firm said the initiative was to develop young and enthusiastic individuals into a unique learning and growth system consistent with its mission statement.
The programme, which began this month with its first set of interns and mentees, comes at a time the technology ecosystem seeks urgent solutions, people and capabilities to make things better.
It noted that while useful and ingenious technology professionals “are increasingly becoming scarce as the industry generally witnesses brain drain, it becomes paramount that upskilling and apprenticeship would go a long way to start building the technology professionals of the future.”
The Programme Director, Mosunmola Adewale-Akobada, noted: “The VIM programme functions much like apprenticeship, providing hands-on technical training and capstone projects, as well as mentorship. As with the organisation, the programme is both physical and virtual. It is scheduled to last for 10 months.”
Head of African Markets, Vatebra Limited, Matthew Omoaka, submitted: “This internship gives participants the rare opportunity to acquire skills and experience through short-term work, rather than a more traditional training approach. It gives people a chance to develop some cool experience in a short amount of time and very specific and marketable information to put on a resume.”
He added: “Conferring to the programme plan, the interns/mentees require up to 40 hours of work every week for a minimum of 10 months. Working hours are coordinated with the company supervisor. The interns/mentees must demonstrate high-level performance and would be evaluated monthly. At the middle and end of the programme, the interns/mentees would make presentations and reports that would be used as a basis to judge their participation and achievements.”
Deputy Managing Director, Mike Aigbe, charged the interns that “the programme is an opportunity, which has been provided at no cost to them and for those who wouldn’t necessarily have had it. It will also help the beneficiaries in their career path not only by getting the experience but as a concept of being able to balance that with the right exposure.”
