Skill Acquisition: NBTE, ERYK Group Sign MoU to Train Nigerian Youths in Europe

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ERYK Group, to boost the training of youths for skill acquisition  in Europe and other parts of the world under the Nigerian Youths Skills Empowerment (NYSE) Programme.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje explained that the NYSE programme would facilitate the training of Nigerian youths on relevant industrial skills with appropriate certification.

Bugaje said that the youths would be trained on European Union Skill Qualifications Standards in Electrical Apprenticeships in Denmark and Poland.

He explained that the ERYK Group is a global technical service provider offering electrical and mechanical assembly, installation and commission services.

The NBTE chief executive added that the initiative will facilitate legal migration of skilled labour to Europe and other parts of the world.

He said, “ The MoU will facilitate skills training for holders of Nigerian National Diploma who pass an online assessment or Computer-based test organised by the NBTE while the cost of training shall be shouldered by ERYK.

“ The MoU aims to further the career prospects of polytechnic graduates, with the selected candidates passing through the NYSE programme.

“The initiative will give them an apprenticeship training in Europe through which they become European certified skilled personnel with relevant work experience under ERYK.

“ This may hopefully increase enrollments into Diploma Programmes in Polytechnics in Nigeria since a window now exists for further skills training and employment in Europe.” 

Bugaje added that graduates of the apprenticeship programme would have the liberty to return to Nigeria after the training to positively impact the society through knowledge transfer.

On his part, the ERYK Group President, Jens-Christian Miller urged Nigeria’s leadership to make sure that the country’s economy is open to the rest of the globe.

Several European nations, he stated,  had enormous GDP growth as a result of opening up their economies to the rest of the globe.