The Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF, Joseph Ari, has launched the framework for National Apprenticeship and Traineeship System (NATS) to combat unemployment and reduce poverty in the country.
He said the nation achieved the NATS through a robust trajectory of vision formulation.
Ari spoke at the launch of the framework for the new policy recently in Abuja. The ITF boss recalled that by the middle of last year, the fund, still leveraging new training trends, realized the need to refocus its operations along indices that would boost job and wealth creation.
He said having collaborated and worked with Germany on its dual system, crown Agents of the United Kingdom (UK), Senai of Brazil and GIMI of Israel, which emphasize apprenticeship, it became imperative.
Locally, the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), the umbrella body of the Organised Private Sector (OPS); and, internationally, the Skills for Prosperity (S4P) of UK became readily available.
“The firming up of partnership with these bodies gave rise to the first skills summit in March 2022, were a new vision anchored on National Apprenticeship and Traineeship System was unveiled. Since then, a lot of work has been done to strengthen this partnership” Ari said.
The ITF boss said the framework, well Implemented, has the potential to drastically reduce unemployment.
He added that the new system would also enable youths to earn income while learning, enhance eligibility for financial assistance while on training.
Ari also said it would engage a sizable number of youth since it does not require formal education as a prerequisite.
