The Kwara State Government has announced a three-week virtual digital training for youths as part of its ongoing efforts to drive innovation and give young people the skills of the future, a statement said on Monday.

Application runs from September 1 to 14.

The virtual training, which is the second phase of a programme billed to benefit 30,000 young people across the state in three years, targets 10,000 applicants over the next two months in batches, according to the statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye.

The government had earlier trained over 3,000 in April during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“The training becomes more imperative owing to the rise in the unemployment rate and a dearth of required skills to survive in the 21st-century," the statement quoted Anchor of the Kwara State Social Investment Programmes (KWASSIP) Muhammed Brimah as saying.

“Nigeria’s unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2020 stood at 27.1%. It means over 27 million are unemployed. The labour force has also rapidly changed. Computer literacy and digital knowledge are increasingly vital to get employed in the emerging economy. Although Kwara fares better in the recent rating, we are taking further steps to upscale the competencies of our youths with relevant digital skills and certifications to position them better for opportunities.

“KWASSIP is organising the free training in partnership with Grow with Google and Wootlab Innovation. Registration is open to all interested youth through https://digitalkwara.com.”

The statement said the government is encouraged by the success of the last cohort as some of the graduates have started using the acquired skills judiciously, noting an upgrade in the courses.

“We had a great first edition. We have taken lessons from it which are being taken into this session. It is fulfilling to see applicants in the last cohort doing well with graphic designs and digital marketing. That is the desired impact,” it added.

“We are currently in talks with a global tech giant to ensure that our best graduates have access to more advanced courses. Youths are therefore urged to seize the opportunity.”