In furtherance of the Delta State Government’s commitment to create jobs and wealth for youths through entrepreneurship, graduands of its Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) in Catering and Confectionery, and PoP-Painting and Screed-Making have received their starter packs.
The 167 graduands were part of the beneficiaries of the 2020/2021 STEP Cycle who successfully completed all phases in the programme such as the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training (OPET), vocational training in various training centres, Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training (EBMT), and Post Training Proficiency Test (PTPT) to qualify for establishment with starter packs.
Addressing the beneficiaries in Asaba, the Programme Coordinator (STEP), Mr. Onyeisi Nkenchor, charged them to put into practice all the knowledge acquired during the EBMT, congratulating them on the completion of their four months training.
He said the 2020/2021 Cycle is the sixth STEP Cycle in the job creation programme of the State Government, adding that over 3,800 previously unemployed youths have been trained and established in their choice enterprises through STEP in the past five years.
While pointing out that 142 of the beneficiaries were trained in Catering and Confectionery, he said 15 were in Pop-Painting and Screed-Making, tasking them to uphold the vision of the job creation programme by sustaining their businesses.
“You have made sacrifices to get to the level you are now. The words of encouragement you received during the EBMT should not be put away. Go back and reflect on it. It will help your businesses to go far in future,” he advised.
Responding, Gift Ogheneruno Akpofure (Ethiope East Local Government Area) said being trained and established by the government with starter pack to open his own business meant a prosperous future for him, pledging to grow his business to greater heights so as to engage other unemployed youths and to contribute his quota to the development of the state.
Julia Gure (Ughelli South LGA) in Pop-Painting and Screed-Making said though she was scared initially as a female working in a male dominated enterprise, she braced up to the challenge.
“Being in Pop-Painting and Screed-Making gave me the opportunity to overcome my fears. With the skill, I will earn legitimate livelihood, train others and impact positively on the society to show that female can excel in male dominated fields,” she enthused.
By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh & Ese Laura Oghene.