BREAKING NEWS: FEDPOLY ADO BREAKS NEW GROUND: Alake Preaches “Gospel of Skills” at Maiden Artisan Graduation
.... Become Job Creators, Not Seekers, in Nigeria's New Economy
by JIROLTV Reporter, Itoro Ekwere
In a remarkable event for technical education in Ekiti State, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, has officially graduated its first cohort of artisans under the National Skills Qualification Training (NSQT) framework, with a powerful charge from its Rector to champion skills over certificates.
The Rector, Engr. Dr. Temitope Alake, delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of the Centre for Skills Acquisition and Development (CSAD) on Friday. The program was conducted in conjunction with the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).
In an exclusive interview with JIROLTV, Dr. Alake issued a clarion call to the graduands, urging them to “propagate the gospel of skills and not certificates alone.” He emphasized that the current economic reality favours those with practical, hands-on expertise.
“The reality is stark: we have people without jobs and jobs without people,” the Rector stated. “A certificate alone is no longer the answer. You must use both your brains and your hands. You are not dropouts; you are technically proficient individuals who hold the key to your own economic empowerment.”
Dr. Alake positioned skills acquisition as a critical advantage for self-reliance, noting that the government cannot employ all graduates. He revealed a direct pathway for the new graduands to become employers themselves, through linkages with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
“After proper registration, you will be assigned trainees under your tutelage,” he explained, aligning the initiative with the job creation agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Director of CSAD, Dr.Olawande Temilade Fajilade, who corroborated the Rector’s statements, expressed immense pride that the institution was approved as a pioneering center after a rigorous resource verification exercise by NABTEB.
She detailed that the intensive training, which lasted three months for seasoned artisans, covered diverse fields including tailoring, photography, plumbing,
soap and paint making, catering, and electrical work installation amongst others. Freshers’ programs are set to run for six to nine months, instilling the National Occupational Standards.
The graduands themselves were brimming with excitement. Mrs. Omolara Adebayo Cole of Alara Fashion Etal and Mrs. Funmi Odeyemi, a fashion outfit owner, shared their joy with JIROLTV, encouraging others to seize the opportunity to become world-class professional artisans.
The high-profile ceremony was attended by dignitaries, including Mr. Ayodele Aroge, Director of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) South-West Zonal Office, solidifying the institution’s new status as a premier hub for empowering technically sound graduates ready to drive Nigeria’s economy.
