TWO hundred selected students of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State yesterday began a five –day training programme as a prelude towards empowering them to become self-employed on graduation.
The exercise was jointly organized by the Fidelity Bank Youth Empowerment Academy and Gazelle Academy, a private youth empowerment organization, in collaboration with Federal Polytechnic Oko Ventures Ltd.
Each department in the institution provided four students for the programme – two from the National Diploma level and two from Higher National Diploma level.
The students would be trained on fashion design, bead making, cocktail, mobile photography, fruit fountain, car wash, make up, among others, depending on their passion.
Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo said at Oko during the commencement of the training that the bank decided to embark on the programme as a way of giving back to the society.
Represented by regional manager of the bank, Mr. Leonard Ezeugwu, Okonkwo said that in an economy where there were restive youths, there was need to teach the young ones how to fend for themselves before they leave the academic environment.
He recalled that the bank had earlier carried out the programme in Kebbi State where 700 students were trained and at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where 300 students were also trained, adding that Oko Polytechnic was the third in the series.
He said: “We chose Oko Polytechnic because the school has the facilities to mount programme of this nature. Our advice is that you must make good use of this opportunity because it can hardly come your way again.
“This programme will provide you the opportunity to change your destiny and the effort you put into the training will be your guide in future.”
He announced that the best students in each area of study would be provided equipment to start their own businesses.
The Rector Federal Polytechnic Oko, Prof Godwin Onu, said that in addition to infrastructural development, the institution had introduced entrepreneurial education with a well- equipped centre, adding that the empowerment programme was in line with the desire of government for capacity building and human development among students in tertiary institutions across the country.
“The Federal Polytechnic Oko Venture Ltd, in partnership with Gazelle Academy and Fidelity Bank, is pleased to bring this free skill acquisition and enterprise training programme to Anambra State as part of our social responsibility,” he said.
