Lafarge trains Nigerians in practical skills

Prompted to boost technical and entrepreneurial education in the country, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria has trained about 12 science-based young school leavers drawn from its host communities in Ewekoro and Sagamu, Ogun state on technical apprenticeship, leading to the immediate employment of 75 percent of the trainees by the leading cement company.

Only recently, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria began an 18-month technical apprenticeship focusing majorly on mechanical and electrical technology, instrumentation and engineering science as well as cement manufacturing process and entrepreneurship training which began in December 2012 to ensure that young school leavers are not only trained technically, but also gainfully employed thereafter.

Joe Hudson, managing director of the cement firm, while speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria, Isofin estate in Ewekoro recently, disclosed that the technical training was held in conjunction with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) to ensure that young Nigerians channel their God-given talents towards technical and economic development of the country.

Hudson said that Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria, having discovered that Nigeria has the potentials to rule the world in terms of abundant human resources and talents abound in the country, the cement company decided to take the advantage by developing the nation’s economy through the technical apprenticeship for the young secondary school leavers.

He said, “I have been to places around the world and Nigeria is the country with the best ‘Can Do Spirit’. There is enormous talent in this country and that is why we have decided, starting with this first set of apprentices, to train Nigerians in practical skills that can sustain them.”

Earlier, Taiwo Agbede, the firm’s training manager, said that Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria had not only trained twelve young apprentices in specific fields of electrical installation and maintenance; instrumentation and automation or mechanical technology but also absorbed 75 percent of the trained apprentices and the remaining 25 percent would soon be engaged by the firm permanent contractors.

He said, “At the of the apprenticeship training, the best nine trainees, representing 75 percent of the total enrolment and who had distinguished themselves throughout the period of training were offered immediate employment by Lafarge WAPCO. The remaining 25 percent will be attached to permanent contractors working with our organisation in the next few weeks.”

Agbede further stated that another set of 21 apprentices had also been admitted for the second batch of the training programme which starts in couple of days, saying the selection process for the programme was strictly on merit, just as he said the immediate communities around the company is the first priority, then Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.

Oduwaye Yusuf, the best overall graduating student, commended Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria for the opportunity offered by the training and the immediate employment given to them, just as he advised the new entrants for the scheme to dedicate themselves to the technical training, assuring them that enough hands were on ground to see them through.

Olugbenga Mayungbo, a mechanical craftsman, said: “I will like to use the knowledge I have gained in this programme for Lafarge. I will like to work for Lafarge just to appreciate them for the big, huge and mighty invention they have invented for me and my career.

“I want to evangelise the name of Lafarge to the whole world by establishing a mechanic company that will enable me to make use of the knowledge I have gained more and also to promote the economic growth of the country later in the future through Entrepreneurship studies that I learnt during my training.”

Olubukola Oredipe, another trainee of Lafarge Cement WAPCO apprenticeship scheme, revealed: “Lafarge has helped shaped my focus and desire to succeed in life. I had wanted to go to the university to study Pharmacy before I joined this programme. Now I love instrumentation and automation engineering. “I have always dreamt of it.

I want to make a landmark success in this discipline. Thank you Lafarge Cement WAPCO.”

However, Lafarge Cement WAPCO has increased the number of the trainees with the admission of 21 intakes for the new academic session, having drawn the newly-admitted students from Niger, Edo and Ondo states in addition to the primary intakes taken from Ogun state communities.