The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced the nationwide screening of 100,000 applicants for its Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) Programme, with more than 3,000 prospective participants undergoing verification in Lagos as part of the exercise.

The initiative, designed to equip artisans with free technical training, internationally recognised certification and job placement opportunities, is part of the federal government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s skilled workforce and advance President Bola Tinubu’s economic transformation agenda.

Speaking during the screening exercise in Lagos on Tuesday, the Head of the Technical Vocational Skills Training Development Department at ITF, Mr. Hassan Sauman, said the programme was aimed at upgrading Nigerian artisans to global standards while improving their competitiveness in both local and international labour markets.

According to him, the screening process is to verify that applicants are genuine artisans before they are admitted into the three-month training programme.

“We rolled out the portal for them to register. They have registered, and we are here to see them, interview them and verify whether they are actual artisans we are going to deal with,” Sauman said.

He stressed that participation in the SUPA programme is completely free, warning applicants against paying money to anyone claiming to facilitate admission.

“SUPA programme is completely free. If anybody says that you should pay any money, I think you should let us know, so that we will know how to deal with the person squarely,” he said.

Sauman explained that the programme has three major objectives: upgrading artisans’ technical skills to international standards, exposing them to globally recognised certification, and creating pathways for employment through partnerships with local and international organisations.

“The first objective is to upskill artisans to global standards. Secondly, artisans will be exposed to international certification, which means they can go out to practise anywhere in the world,” he said.

He added that ITF also intends to collaborate with institutions and employers to facilitate job placements for successful participants, while developing a comprehensive database of artisans across the country to monitor their growth and connect them with opportunities.

“The federal government also wants to have a database of artisans that can be used to track their progress and attach beneficiaries to both local and international markets at the end of the training,” he said.

The programme covers a wide range of vocational trades, including garment making, plumbing, welding, tiling, automobile maintenance, crop production, domestic electrical installations and scaffolding, among others.

Sauman noted that participants would receive structured vocational training, industry-standard licensing and toolkits upon successful completion of the programme.

Highlighting the programme’s international outlook, he said ITF partners with both local and foreign certification bodies to ensure graduates obtain credentials recognised globally.

“Our graduates of 2025 sat for the Turkish examination, which officials from Turkey came to administer, and they were certified. That means they are qualified to practise in any part of the world. It is a globally recognised certification,” he said.

Some participants expressed optimism that the programme would improve their skills and enhance their earning potential.

One of the trainees, Mr. Tijani Kabiru, who works in the hospitality industry, said the initiative would help artisans attain international standards and contribute to national economic growth.

“There are many artisans in Nigeria, but they don’t have the financial support to meet international standards. That is why the federal government initiated this programme. With this, young people will have more opportunities to engage themselves and improve their livelihoods,” he said.

Another participant, Mrs. Olabisi Adetoro, a tailor with over 14 years of experience, said she enrolled in the programme to sharpen her technical abilities and remain competitive in the industry.

“This training will give me more advantage in finishing and special packaging skills for better competitiveness,” she said.

The SUPA programme is one of the federal government’s flagship vocational skills development initiatives aimed at boosting employability, improving productivity among artisans and expanding Nigeria’s pool of globally certified skilled workers. (This Day)

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