Institute urges employers to develop workers’ digital skills

Acquisition of digital skills is necessary to increase workers’ productivity, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilesa, Prof Taiwo Asaolu, has said.

The Vice-Chancellor, who stated this while presenting certificates to the participants of a week-long training in Digital Skills, Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology (DiSECT), and Data Analysis delivered by the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), called for collaborations and interventions from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the DBI to support core objectives of the university in the areas of teaching, research and community services.

Asaolu also commended the NCC, the sponsor of the programme and the DBI for the training of 100 academic and non-academic staff of the university under the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI), effectively delivered by the DBI.

While appreciating the sponsors and the organizers of the programme, the VC said: “I would like to commend the sponsors, facilitators and participants for making the programme a success and I am confident that the knowledge and skills gained by the participants would help them in performing their work better and effectively.

The University warmly appreciates the NCC and the DBI for bringing this training to our doorstep and we look forward to more collaborations shortly.

“I need to reiterate that we are open to collaborations and interventions that will support our core objectives in the areas of teaching, research and community service not only from the NCC and DBI but from other organisations with shared objectives.”

He added that the initiative underscored their commitment to enhancing technological proficiency among the staff and empowering them to excel in this era of rapid digital transformation.

He insisted that in the new world of work that is primarily driven by technology and innovations, it is expected of all staff to be digitally competent to be relevant and productive.

In Chief Executive Officer of DBI, Daser David, who was represented at the event by the ADEPTI Coordinator, Unilesa Centre Adesoji Fagbemi, said the training was designed strategically for tertiary institutions across the federation to bridge the digital skill gap in schools.

According to him: “The DBI is an institution established by the NCC. It is Nigeria’s foremost centre of excellence in ICT training and education. The role of the DBI is to bridge the digital divide in the country and maintain the highest standard through its various training programs. The DBI offers a wide range of training programmes and courses in various areas of ICTs. These programmes are designed to meet the needs of different segments of the society- students, academic institutions, professionals, organisations as well as government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).”

He added that the institute plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s efforts to develop a skilled workforce in the field of ICT, to promote digital inclusion and technological advancement; while it serves as a hub for education, research, and collaboration in Nigeria’s ICT space.

Fagbemi urged the Vice Chancellor, and the school management to partner with the DBI, adding, “It is very imperative to have a sizable budget for training every year, and the DBI is ready and available to train your workforce at any level with a considerable cost. The training would be cost-effective to both parties.”