Imo State Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Governance, Dr Chimezie Amadi, has provided a breakdown of admission processes, orientation requirements, identification procedures and certification opportunities for Cohort 4 of the SkillUpImo programme to participants.

In a live session, the commissioner acknowledged the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma, whose sustained commitment to the digitalisation of Imo and the empowerment of its youth underpinned the programme’s continued growth.

He announced that Uzodimma approved the addition of 10,000 candidates to the programme, expanding the total intake beyond the originally admitted 10,000.

On the integrity of the admission process, the commissioner was emphatic that the published admission list, which candidates accessed through their individual dashboards, was produced through a merit-based selection system that was free, fair and transparent.

No form of personal connection influenced the admission, he said, adding that the only requirements for selection were the ones officially announced by programme management and the performance of candidates in the pre-admission assessment.

According to Amadi, the programme offers 23 digital courses, which attracted applications from 35,000 candidates, against the targeted 10,000 participants.

He added: “Sixty per cent of the applicants indicated a preference for graphics design, and many within that group recorded high examination scores.

“To manage the imbalance and ensure representation across other course offerings, management set a minimum score threshold of 85 per cent for graphics design applicants, while applicants for all other courses were required to attain a minimum score of 50 per cent.”

This approach, he noted, was designed to accommodate the strongest candidates across all skill areas while preventing any single course from dominating the admitted cohort at the expense of others.

“Participation in the Cohort 4 orientation is compulsory for all admitted candidates without exception. Any candidate whose name appears on the published admission list but who fails to attend the orientation will automatically forfeit their admission,” he warned, describing the orientation as a critical foundation for the programme, during which candidates will receive detailed guidance on how the programme is structured from commencement to graduation.

On certification, the commissioner outlined a robust range of credentials that successful participants stand to earn upon completing the programme. These include Cisco certification, Microsoft certification, a joint SkillUpImo certification issued in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley, Cisco Networking Academy levels one to three certification (which he indicated could open pathways to direct employment opportunities), and Cham-Training International Skills Development certification, particularly for candidates undertaking data analysis and related disciplines.