COVID-19: Kwara organises virtual Digital training for youths

Kwara State Government will on April 27 begin a two-week virtual digital training for youths, an initiative that is a part of the Digital Kwara component of the state’s social investment programme (KWASSIP), a statement said on Thursday.

The virtual training, which is the first phase of a programme that would benefit up to 30,000 young people over the next three years, targets at least 2,000 youths who would be tutored in basic digital skills and be given certificates.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye said in the statement that the training is free and was timed to ensure the youths make the best of the lockdown season by acquiring some digital skills that are relevant for the 21st century economy. 

“Digital skills are becoming increasingly invaluable and Kwara youths shouldn’t be left behind in the global surge for the skills of the future,” the statement added.

KWASSIP is partnering with Google and Wootlab Foundation to organise the free virtual training programme, it stated. 

Registration is free and open to all youths who may register for the programme throughwww.wootlab.ng/foundation/digital-kwara.

The statement added: “The technology skills training under KWASSIP is multi-layered. It is originally designed to train 30,000 young kwara residents in basic digital skills, while an additional 1,500 youth will be trained in advanced digital skills over the next 3 years. The programme will expose Kwara youths to digital skills and certifications, and prepare them for employment and entrepreneurial opportunities within the technology space. This fits into Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s agenda to make Kwara the ‘go-to’ place for digital skills in Nigeria.”

The long-term objective of Digital Kwara is to set up digital skills centres across Kwara where the youths would be equipped with globally-relevant technology education (software development, data science, machine learning etc.) to advance human capital development in the state, the statement said.

Rafiu Ajakaye 

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor 

23 April, 2020.