Thursday, April 10, 2014

YabaTech UNEVOC Center visits Chi Limited

The YabaTech UNEVOC Team embarked on a working visit to Chi Limited Headquarters in Lagos Nigeria on Thursday, 10th of April 2014. Chi Limited is known as the producer of packed drinks like Chivita juice, Caprisone, Hollandia milk etc. Our team was received by Mr. Anuj Kumar Bhatia. The purpose of the visit was to seek ways of collaboration between both parties.

Mr. Anuj introduced himself as the Group Manager in charge of corporate social responsibility and also introduced us to the group and the nine companies it comprises. Tropical General Investment (TGI) Group is a Dutch company based in Nigeria. According to him, while the most famous of the companies in the group is Chi Limited, there are other companies of the group which are into agriculture, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, fishing etc.

The UNEVOC Team also gave a brief on the College, the premier tertiary institution in Nigeria, which was specially established to train middle level professionals in technical capabilities. According to the Director, the UNEVOC Center thrives in information sharing, advocacy and collaboration and such activities can be within departments of an institution like Yaba College of Technology or with industries. This helps to create synergy amidst development partners in order to produce graduates prepared for the realities and requirements of the world of work. Proposed areas of collaboration include:
  • Collaboration on the Rice Institute an initiative of TGI
  • Drafting of working proposition between Yaba College of Technology and TGI Group
  • Research Visit to Ajanla Farms by researchers and students
  • Student's Industrial Training



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

YabaTech UNEVOC Centre Empower Students

The Yaba College of Technology, UNESCO-UNEVOC Center through its skill acquisition programmes, has been training students in several skills like hair braiding, computer and phone repairs, bead stringing etc. Through the scheme, the students pick up skills that enable them to support their education and earn a living while still learning.

A beneficiary of the scheme is Miss Jumoke Faleye, a young YabaTech student who is now using her skill in hair braiding to earn a living. Interestingly, Miss Faleye is a final year (ND II) Accountancy full-time student of the College. Through what she earns from her activity as a hair braider, she pays her school fees and supports her aged parents.
She hopes to continue with her Higher Diploma when she makes enough money to pay her fees. 




In practicing their skills, recipients in most cases do not need a rented space, as they use their rooms in the hostel for the business and leisure periods when there is no class activity. They also require small capital in order to start the hair braiding business after training at the centre. 

More of such programmes are being carried out by the UNEVOC Center to inculcate entrepreneurship and self-reliance in the graduates.



Tuesday, March 18, 2014

YabaTech UNEVOC Team visits LASTVEB

The Yaba College of Technology, UNESCO-UNEVOC Center Team paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) at his Ikeja GRA office on Tuesday 18th of March 2014.

It was an opportunity to discuss TVET (technical and vocational education and training) in Nigeria and these two organizations deliberated on several areas of collaboration and networking. The LASTVEB Executive Secretary, Engr. Olawunmi Gasper, opened up on several projects his organization is carrying out and conceptualizing.
The resolve that technical and vocational education leads to entrepreneurship for a large percentage of the populace serves as the impetus for the Lagos State Government to invest in various projects through the LASTVEB initiative. Some of the projects already started by LASTVEB include:
·         Two (organic and sustainable) Agric farms
·         An electronic training center in conjunction with Samsung Nigeria
·         Technical Apprenticeship Training for youths of the state
·         The Enterprise Day to mention just a few

From the UNEVOC Center perspective, several of the projects cut into our vision at the College and ways of collaborating on both existing and future programmes were successfully discussed.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Representatives of LEAD AWA visits YabaTech UNEVOC Center

Representatives of Leadership Environment and Development Anglophone West Africa (LEAD AWA) led by the Regional Programme Director, Mrs. Maureen Akintayo visited YabaTech UNESCO-UNEVOC on the 3rd of March 2014, .
The LEAD team's visit was to seek ways of partnership between the YabaTech UNESCO-UNEVOC and LEAD AWA. LEAD Anglophone West Africa is a member program of LEAD International, a U. K. based global non-profit organization, founded by the Rockefeller Foundation about 20years ago.

FEDEN/LEAD AWA is recognized as one of the top three environmental NGOs in Nigeria with a strong reputation as the only organization providing capacity building for mid-career professionals - leadership entrepreneurship and sustainability.
The UNESCO-UNEVOC Team consisting of the Director, Ms. Ify Marinze, Coordinator Dr.(Mrs.) Doherty and System Analyst Mr. John Okewole welcomed the LEAD AWA delegation. Ms. Marinze stated that the UNEVOC Center can partner with LEAD AWA in their Ecopreneur LEADERs program and Integrated Agriculture & Waste Management Program which is designed to help young people build lifelong skills necessary for transforming social problems into opportunities for creating sustainable enterprises.

Yaba College of Technology under the leadership of Dr.(Mrs.) M. K. Ladipo has been training students in Technical and Vocational education offering courses in Printing Technology, Textile Technology, Agricultural Technology, Hotel and Catering, Tourism and Hospitality and much more.

A follow-up meeting was held on 11th of March 2014 to finetune an agriculture collaborative project with the two institution. In attendance was the Head of Department, Agric. Technology, Dr. A. Akinfemi.