C- STEMP trains 370 artisans in Abuja

In order to tackle poor construction skills among Nigerian artisans and step up employment rate, Construction Skills Training and Empowerment Project (C-STEMP), a training institute for artisans in the construction industry imparted skills in 10 artisans from each state of the federation last week in Abuja. Lack of relevant skills in indigenous artisans has resulted […]

In order to tackle poor construction skills among Nigerian artisans and step up employment rate, Construction Skills Training and Empowerment Project (C-STEMP), a training institute for artisans in the construction industry imparted skills in 10 artisans from each state of the federation last week in Abuja.
Lack of relevant skills in indigenous artisans has resulted invasion by foreign artisans who take many jobs at the expense of Nigerians.
Over the years, stakeholders have been lamenting this, saying it has created unemployment and capital flight.
The areas of training covered Concreting, Masonry, Plastering, Carpentry, Electrical Installations and Maintenance, Plumbing Installation and Maintenance, Tiling, Painting and Steel Fabrication. There was as well a train-the-trainer programme.
It was expected that with C- STEMP certification, the artisan is eligible to be employed as a skilled worker or independent labourer/tradesman, contractor/entrepreneur in the housing and construction industry.
There was exhibition of various trades/materials and presentation of technical papers on the theme: Skills Development for Employment  Generation: Enhancing Quality and Productivity in the Construction Industry.
Minister for Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola who was represented by the Director of Building in the ministry, Mr O. A. Bolarinwa opened the programme.
“Under no circumstance should you rest on your oars until you achieve your intended purpose and completion of skills training and empowerment programme which will help in supplying the skilled manpower to the construction industry in Nigeria,” Fashola charged the organisers.
The Project Director, Anthony Okwa said C-STEMP is an initiative of JHL spurred by DFID via the construction ideas fund.
It is now a tripartite collaboration by C-STEMP, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, Real Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria, UK Aid, GEMS and Nigeria Institute of Building.
C-STEMP which has been endorsed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) aims to produce a network of partners to train 100,000 workers and generate 500,000 jobs over the next two years.
The training started last year when 1,000 artisans were trained under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).