FG, Valentino Unveil High-Tech Vocational Center to Drive SUPA Initiative
Jos Afrik24 -The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has finalized the setup of state-of-the-art vocational amenities at its Model Skills Academy situated along the Jos-Bukuru Expressway in Plateau State.
Realized via a strategic public-private partnership with Valentino Resources Limited, the development serves as a key driver for the Federal Government’s Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) program, which seeks to elevate Nigerian skilled labour to international benchmarks.
Following a thorough evaluation headed by ITF Director-General, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, Valentino Resources CEO Tadas Okonkwo, verified that the infrastructure was successfully completed as a fully funded Turnkey investment.
Tadas emphasized that the ITF leadership purposefully designed the framework to synchronize with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategic vision for youth empowerment and vocational growth.
Encompassing multiple technical departments, Tadas said the modernization features modern facilities dedicated to culinary arts, industrial garment manufacturing, automated monogramming, and commercial textile knitting.
According to him: “The culinary section incorporates custom mobile stainless-steel workstations equipped with e-learning touchscreens for remote learning, overhead smoke extractors, flat tabletop gas cookers, commercial-grade ovens, custom sinks, and specialized LED illumination.
“In parallel, the textile division boasts multi-head automated monogramming systems and heavy-duty knitting equipment, alongside three high-capacity industrial knitting units slated for final setup to scale up production”, he said.
Delivered over a rigorous 13-month construction window that demanded continuous technical labour, the project met the strict scheduling demands set by the ITF for student intake, our correspondent reports.
“To guarantee enduring success, the integrated SUPA curriculum merges practical technical instruction with essential courses in business administration, marketing, and quality control”, Tadas added.
“The targeted approach is engineered to resolve past performance challenges typical of domestic artisans, including subpar finishing and deficient business acumen, thereby empowering local graduates to rival global competitors”, he said
Training operations have already commenced for enrolled youth at the ITF Skills Academy, providing structured vocational programs during academic breaks designed to accelerate practical learning and actively reduce youth restiveness nationwide.
