ITF Marks 55 Years, Says Nigeria Now on Global Skills Map
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has stated that Nigeria's standing in the global skills arena has been strengthened by two key developments: the setting up of the WorldSkills Academy in Abuja and the country's acceptance as the 83rd member of WorldSkills International.
This position was put forward by the ITF's Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, during an event held at the organisation's headquarters in Jos to commemorate its 55th anniversary and three years of what it described as transformative leadership under his stewardship.
According to Ogun, these efforts, along with the creation of talent export routes for skilled Nigerians, are opening doors for artisans and technical professionals to participate in the international labour market while also driving national economic growth.
He expressed his ambition for the ITF to be recognised beyond Nigeria's borders as the foremost learning and development institution that citizens can rely on to support the growth of the national economy.
"I want an ITF that adds value by helping Nigeria become among the top in the comity of nations. I will also want to see an ITF that competes favourably with other learning and development agencies worldwide," he said.
Ogun further stated, "I would like to see an ITF that grows not just into a household name where every young Nigerian would see it as a pride of place to belong to in terms of actualising their career prospects, but also an organisation that will lubricate the industrial hub by ensuring that industries in the country operate optimally."
He, however, noted that realising this vision would require the Fund's current workforce to be more proactive, effective, creative, and resilient, and to put in greater effort as unto God.
The Director-General also highlighted that the ITF has put in place a world-class quality assurance system. This includes recertifying its ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, embracing the ISO 17024 Certification of Persons framework, creating occupational standards, and rolling out customer-focused service delivery systems that have led to customer satisfaction scores above 90 per cent.
"One defining feature of our administration has been automating critical business processes. Today, operations such as SIWES management, reimbursement processing, document archiving, staff attendance management, and SUPA programme administration have been digitised, thereby improving efficiency, transparency, accountability, and service delivery."
He also revealed that under his leadership, the ITF has completed several projects, including a fueling station at the headquarters, renovation of the main office complex at the headquarters, the corpers lodge, and the Modern Skills Academy in Jos. Others are the construction of staff quarters in Port Harcourt, the Model Skills Training Centre in Enugu, and the renovation of the Akure Area Office.
"We have also begun solar energy projects across several facilities, while a specialised Mechatronics and ICT Training Centre is under construction in Ikare-Akoko to prepare Nigerians for the future of work," he said.
"Across the country, several infrastructure renewal projects are ongoing, including new Area Offices in Lafia and Bauchi, renovations in Benin, Calabar, Enugu, Apapa, and Ilorin, and upgrades to training facilities and operational infrastructure at our various locations."
He called on ITF staff to continue to uphold the core values of Integrity, Efficiency and Effectiveness, Commitment, Loyalty, Teamwork, Professionalism and Creativity, noting that these values have been key to building the ITF they are proud of today.
The Director-General also praised the vision and foresight of the founding fathers and the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating policies and programmes that have supported the organisation's growth.
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