140 prospective migrants graduate from LSETF/GIZ capacity building scheme

In furtherance of its commitment to build capacity and upskill youths while empowering unemployed and underemployed persons in the state, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) under its skills acquisition scheme, the Lagos State Employability Support Project (LSESP), has graduated 140 trainees following the successful completion of their skills acquisition programme.

The beneficiaries were trained under the pilot phase of the Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE) Programme, an initiative of the Deutsche Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), a development agency of the German Government in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF). 

With an objective to reduce illegal migration of Nigerian youth, the Project was targeted at 140 potential migrants (including voluntary returnees from the European Union) residing in Lagos. The beneficiaries successfully completed a rigorous vocational and technical training designed to equip them with relevant skills in order to improve their prospects of gaining economic independence. 

 The programme focused on skills development in the critical and vibrant industries in Lagos, such as Construction, Fashion, Health & Beauty, Hospitality, Creative & Arts and Media & Entertainment sectors. Out of the 140 graduate trainees, 61% make up the female gender. The beneficiaries of the program, so far, comprise 89% of potential migrants and 11% of voluntary returnees; having qualifications ranging from JSSCE to Tertiary degrees.

During the graduation ceremony of the beneficiaries, the graduate trainees were presented with globally renowned certifications following their successful completion of the skills acquisition programme.

Commenting on the programme, the Acting Executive Secretary of the LSETF, Mrs. Teju Abisoye, who was represented by Director, Finance and Corporate Services, LSETF, Mr. Rahman Akinwonmi, said “We are very pleased to have witnessed a very successful first outcome of this initiative, in which the LSETF and the GIZ join forces in their shared mission of up-skilling the capacity of thousands of youths in Lagos to make them globally competitive to gain sustainable employment and be dissuaded from embarking on the dangerous illegal migration to Europe. 

Leave a Reply