By Saby Elemba, in Owerri
The governor emphasised that the welfare of youths is central to the prosperity agenda of his government, as they represent the present and future generation of Imo State, while noting that the step to achieving the target of graduating 100,000 youths in digital skills can only be realised with the encouragement of participants.
"Today we are flagging off 15,000 young men and women with plans at top gear to ensure that we shall achieve before the end of this year, 100,000 milestones within our implementation programme. To this end, l have directed the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-government to explore necessary collaborations considered expedient to ensure increased access to Skill-Up Imo programme for all Imo State residents and citizens.
"On graduation, not only will we give you start up kits but also professional certificates that will be recognised anywhere in the world, the professional certificate will make the world look for you and not you looking for the world," the governor said.
He gave assurance to the trainees that the same intense digital, entrepreneurial marketing and literacy training undergone by the Cohort 1 will also be undergone by Cohort 2 in basic, intermediate and advance level of courses for the next 6-12 weeks, to enable them compete favourably with their counterparts in any part of the world.
Expressing his desire that "between 2022- 2026, as a result of the Skill-Up Imo programme, more than 500 billionaires under 35 years will be produced in Imo State. This is because what the global literature has recognised is not literacy but enterprise," noting that ideas rule the world. The idea is up-skilling and reskilling to graduate at least 100,000 youths per year," he added.
Chimezie Amadi, commissioner for digital economy and e-government, said the objective of the training programme is to train 300,000 youths in the space of three years, graduating 100,000 each year.
He revealed that apart from the five learning centres in use, five more have been added to increase access to the training programme as directed by governor Uzodimma and assured that "the mandate to train 100,000 each year will be realised by his ministry."
He listed the extra centres to include Imo State Polytechnic Omuma; K O Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, College of Health Sciences, Amaigbo, Claretian University Nekede, and University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo.
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The governor emphasised that the welfare of youths is central to the prosperity agenda of his government, as they represent the present and future generation of Imo State, while noting that the step to achieving the target of graduating 100,000 youths in digital skills can only be realised with the encouragement of participants.
"Today we are flagging off 15,000 young men and women with plans at top gear to ensure that we shall achieve before the end of this year, 100,000 milestones within our implementation programme. To this end, l have directed the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-government to explore necessary collaborations considered expedient to ensure increased access to Skill-Up Imo programme for all Imo State residents and citizens.
"On graduation, not only will we give you start up kits but also professional certificates that will be recognised anywhere in the world, the professional certificate will make the world look for you and not you looking for the world," the governor said.
He gave assurance to the trainees that the same intense digital, entrepreneurial marketing and literacy training undergone by the Cohort 1 will also be undergone by Cohort 2 in basic, intermediate and advance level of courses for the next 6-12 weeks, to enable them compete favourably with their counterparts in any part of the world.
Expressing his desire that "between 2022- 2026, as a result of the Skill-Up Imo programme, more than 500 billionaires under 35 years will be produced in Imo State. This is because what the global literature has recognised is not literacy but enterprise," noting that ideas rule the world. The idea is up-skilling and reskilling to graduate at least 100,000 youths per year," he added.
Chimezie Amadi, commissioner for digital economy and e-government, said the objective of the training programme is to train 300,000 youths in the space of three years, graduating 100,000 each year.
He revealed that apart from the five learning centres in use, five more have been added to increase access to the training programme as directed by governor Uzodimma and assured that "the mandate to train 100,000 each year will be realised by his ministry."
He listed the extra centres to include Imo State Polytechnic Omuma; K O Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, College of Health Sciences, Amaigbo, Claretian University Nekede, and University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo.