FIC Report (Ekiti State) – In a remarkable event for technical education in Ekiti State, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, has officially graduated its first cohort of artisans under the National Skills Qualification Training (NSQT) framework, with a powerful charge from its Rector to champion skills over certificates.
The Rector, Dr. Temitope Alake, delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of the Centre for Skills Acquisition and Development (CSAD) on Friday.
The programme was conducted in conjunction with the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).
The Rector issued a clarion call to the graduands, urging them to “propagate the gospel of skills and not certificates alone”, emphasizing that the current economic reality favoured those with practical, hands-on expertise.
Dr. Alake positioned skills acquisition as a critical advantage for self-reliance, noting that the government cannot employ all graduates.
He revealed a direct pathway for the new graduands to become employers themselves, through linkages with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
“After proper registration, you will be assigned trainees under your tutelage,” he explained, aligning the initiative with the job creation agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Director of CSAD, Dr.Olawande Temilade Fajilade who corroborated the Rector’s statements, expressed immense pride that the institution was approved as a pioneering center after a rigorous resource verification exercise by NABTEB.
She detailed that the intensive training, which lasted three months for seasoned artisans, covered diverse fields including tailoring, photography, plumbing,
soap and paint making, catering, and electrical work installation amongst others.
Freshers’ programmes were set to run for six to nine months, instilling the National Occupational Standards.
Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Mrs. Funmi Odeyemi, a fashion outfit owner, shared her joy, encouraging intending enrollees to seize the opportunity to become world-class professional artisans.
The high-profile ceremony was attended by dignitaries, including Mr. Ayodele Aroge, Director of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) South-West Zonal Office, solidifying the institution’s new status as a premier hub for empowering technically sound graduates ready to drive Nigeria’s economy.
Signed
Oluyemisi Omotola
CIO&PRO.
31/08/2025.
