ULDA Partners APWEN to Train Female Engineers
Funmi Ogundare
Universal Learn Direct Academia (ULDA) is partnering the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) to train 10 female engineers from the 20 beneficiaries of the Margaret Aina Oguntala Capacity Development Academy (MAOCADA), designed to enhance their professional skills and improve their proficiency in the built industry.
The initiative was instituted by APWEN in honour of the first female Deputy President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs. Margaret Oguntala
As part of the training which will kick-off on October 31, the beneficiaries would be trained for six months on site supervision and management courses, at its Vocational Training Centre (VTC), Oshodi, where they will earn level three certification by being tutored on how to deliver construction projects from start to completion and going through different modules.
In a statement, the Dean of Faculty, Babatunde Faleye, expressed concern about the percentage of women in engineering, saying that ULDA would support a well-meaning development to change the demography.
“ULDA now has pledged a 50 per cent discount off the fees sponsorship for the selected candidates.”
Faleye expressed hope that the trainees would understand the rudiments of works and gain requisite experience and exposure in the major trades of construction, where they would be trained to use ULDA’s checklist approach at inspecting site activities carried out by technicians to attain utmost competence levels in construction activities.
“They would understudy skill sets in masonry (bricklaying) and tiling, domestic electrical and solar installation, construction steel works and welding, domestic pipe fitting, plumbing and fire installations,construction carpentry and cabinet making.
“It is our opinion that no engineer can mange a project site without an all-round knowledge of the major trades of construction. We are sure that these candidates would leave with high proficiency levels and become outstanding custodians of our academy, ULDA, APWEN, NSE and the global engineering community.”
