Rector advocates school, industry synergy for societal advancement

In order to bridge the obvious skills gap in the country, Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Margaret Ladipo, has stressed the need for industries to have good working partnerships with institutions of higher learning with a view to embarking on innovative researches that would ginger national growth.

Speaking at the 2015 YABATECH Research Fair, Ladipo stressed that the importance of a harmonious working relationship between tertiary institutions and industries cannot be over emphasised.

She explained that the fair was expected to showcase, exhibit and market research products of the college; motivate investors to invest their funds on innovative researches and designs capable of improving national growth and development with local technology and contents; stimulate funds in form of investment for commercialisation of the most innovative designs and research results; attract funds outside the public sector for research purpose and provide baseline for small scale entrepreneurial development.”

According to her, “What we need in this country is skills and competencies, not just paper qualification. We have Berger Paints here that came to the college before now to encourage the Department of Polymer and Textile Technology through the Association of Paints Manufacturer to produce paints. By doing that, some of our students are now self-reliant.

Managing Director of Berger Paints, Mr. Peter Folikwe, in his remarks said it was imperative to empower youths in order for them to take multi- disciplinary approaches towards knowledge creation.

According to him “We have to continue to step up efforts to nurture our students and cultivate our talent in science and technology, as well as arouse and maintain their interest in scientific researches and discoveries. We also have to encourage students at all tiers of education in the country through our corporate social responsibility scheme of “Take a child to work” initiative. Through this scheme, we open our factory and work place to these young ones with the sole purpose of igniting and stimulating their interest in the process of manufacturing from end to end…”

In his keynote address, Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, identified slavery and colonialism as factors that hinder the pace of development in Africa.

Speaking on the theme “Emerging Technology: Panacea for Societal Challenges,” Olaoluwa noted that before the slave trade, Africa and the rest of the world were developing equally, but the slave trade and colonialism went on for some centuries thereby making it difficult for Africa to meet up with the rest of the world in terms of development.