Vocational training
Bayelsa State government has indicated its readiness to partner Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State on vocational training programme to create a critical mass of middle-class and high manpower to drive the local economy.
Governor Douye Diri gave the indication while speaking as special guest at the Certification Ceremony of the Smart House A to Z Vocational Training Programme at the African Tide Technical and Educational Center (ATTEC) in Yenagoa.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor said his administration is making deliberate efforts at giving hands-on skills training to the youth because of its belief in the indispensability of the human capital.
He charged the graduands who got trained in Quartia, Sting, Plumbing, among other vocations, not to rest on their oars but be passionate about acquiring more knowledge in their various fields to further improve themselves.
Promising them starter-packs, Diri cautioned them to resist the temptation of selling off their work tools, but rather use them judiciously to generate income for themselves and become employers of labour.
The Bayelsa helmsman, who commended the German partners, the ATTEC Academy and Gregory University for their contributions towards producing the first set of graduates in the programme, promised to take the partnership a notch higher.
The Founder of the institute, Dr. Rosalyn Dressman, while congratulating the graduates, said the success recorded was a path paved with enormous challenges, adorned with hope and unwavering commitment to better individuals with technical education.
She applauded the partners, which include the Bayelsa State government, the Gregory University, Uturu, the Africantide Association of Nigeria and the German Government and others, whom she said, have been instrumental to creating an environment where learning thrives and potentials are realised.
Delivering the convocation charge, the Vice Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Prof. Augustine Uwakwe, urged graduands to effectively demonstrate the expertise they have acquired, and be good ambassadors of Bayelsa and all the institutions that played a role in their training.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of AfricanTide Association of Nigeria, Professor Jason Osai and the Founder of AfricanTide, Dr RosaLyn Dressman, equally acknowledged that Governor Diri’s intervention and support actually brought relief and a renewed sense of purpose to the programme.
