In continuation of its Job Creation Programme, the Delta State Government through its Job Creation Bureau has established another 44 STEP graduands who recently completed their vocational training in Electrical Installation and Solar works.
The 44 STEPreneurs were trained under the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) having successfully completed the three training phases of the programme which lasted for eight months.
While addressing the beneficiaries in Asaba, the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh, said establishing them with starter was another forward step in living out the vision of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to achieve youth empowerment, economic prosperity and social inclusion for a Stronger Delta.
He added that since 2015, the State Government has been engaging, training and empowering Delta youths under the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), pointing out that a total of 3,881 youths have benefitted from the personal effectiveness training, skills training, entrepreneurship training and start-up support activities under STEP out of which 44 of them were being established with starter packs in Electrical Installation and Solar Works after successful completion of their eight months training.
“Since inception in 2015, His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, has ensured that the job creation scheme is implemented based on the core principles of professionalism, integrity, quality and discipline. The implementation of the job creation scheme is complemented with the mentoring and support from the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM). As a result of these features and arising from the verifiable tangible results and impacts on economic conditions of youths, the Delta State Job Creation Scheme had become the role model throughout the country,” he said.
Prof Eboh pointed out that the starter packs for beneficiaries of Electrical Installation and Solar Works included equipment, tools and materials necessary and sufficient to help them set up, own and run a viable and successful enterprise.
He explained that the recommended enterprise start-up items were complemented with shop rent support to the beneficiary, noting that in keeping with the job creation brand, the training phases were designed and implemented in a manner that would help the beneficiary to acquire the requisite orientation, attitudes, aptitudes, capabilities and resources to successfully own and run an enterprise.
While congratulating the beneficiaries for the successful completion of their training and for being qualified to receive starter pack items, he urged them to make good use of the opportunity by devoting themselves to their businesses to make Governor Okowa’s vision a reality.
He admonished them thus, “You should think and work towards success. You should be disciplined, diligent, patient, focused and prayerful about your respective enterprises. Do not be discouraged or derailed by initial obstacles that would confront you. Rather, see the obstacles as stepping stones to a successful entrepreneurship. Remember the axiom – ‘winners don’t quit and quiters don’t win’. So, learn to persevere and always be solution-minded rather than problem-focused. Make continuous learning and personal improvement your binding principle. Develop a vision for your enterprise, think towards the vision, share the vision with others, make the right decisions and take the right actions today to lay the foundation and raise the building blocks to make the vision happen. Be admonished that tomorrow starts today. What your enterprise becomes many years from today depends on what actions you take today.”
He noted that the success of the job creation programme is measured by the success of the programme beneficiaries, stressing that the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau (DS-JCWB) would continue to work with the Directorate of Youth Monitoring and Mentoring (DYMM) to facilitate networking, mentoring and other support necessary for the survival, growth, success and sustainability of their new enterprises.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Julius Kalaere Pina (Burutu LGA) expressed his readiness to put the knowledge acquired into good use in order to become gainfully employed. He was overwhelmed with joy for the opportunity given to him to be trained and established with starter pack to begin a business after nine years of unemployment.
Also, Nwabuozor Fredick Uzoma (Ika North East) a graduate of Psychology, was grateful to the State Government for the opportunity given to him to be trained as an entrepreneur with a promise to utilize the starter pack well to build and sustain his business.
“As a young graduate I was working as an Uber driver but when I was selected as a trainee, it opened my eyes to a lot of opportunity to establish myself in Electrical Installation and Solar Works. I also paid to train myself on CCTV Installment,” he stated.
Written by Promise Ogana