Kwara State, International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the World Bank on the training of 250 students for a first-level skills training.

The MoU according to the Governor who signed on behalf of the state government provides for payment of monthly stipends for each trainee for the period of the training.

He added that the three months training programme would be followed by a six months industrial apprenticeship to further exposed the trainees to their various chosen jobs.

The governor explained that the College was established to provide the best technical, vocational and entrepreneurship training to youths in order to make them gainfully employed and contribute their quotas to the society.

Governor Ahmed added that IVTEC is benchmark against global standards in vocational education through partnership with globally recognised certification bodies like City and Guilds of London among others.

Speaking earlier, the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Dr Nasiru Mohammed Ladan had in his remarks said the partnership in the area of skill training is a right step in the right direction, explaining that it would open a new vista in the implementation of the skills for job of components of YESSO.

The Director-General who was represented by Mrs Olaomi Roseline congratulated Kwara State Government for pioneering output based state-led skills among eight states of Bauchi, Cross River, Ekiti, Logic, Kwara, Niger, Osun and Oyo, disclosed that a total of 316 youths were trained in the last two years.

Also speaking, the Rector, International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), Dr Ade Somide, explained that the state government’s investment on the college had been to yield positive results with the partnership of the NDE and World Bank with the college.

He told the gathering that the College had graduated 150 trainees in various technical fields ranging from automotive, fabrication, welding among others.