The World Bank has indicated that it is willing to collaborate with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to empower young people, create jobs, and help corps members improve their skills.
This information was provided by Lead Economist Elena Glinskaya of the World Bank’s Youth Employment and Skills Development Unit during a formal visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The team leader of the World Bank group added that the vocational training that corps members are exposed to while at the orientation camp has helped a significant number of them to become self-reliant while praising the National Youth Service Corps for incorporating Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development into the Orientation Course programme.
She stated that the team was also interested in learning from NYSC’s vast knowledge and experience in youth empowerment.
“Anyone who is working on issues of youth employment in Nigeria must learn about the NYSC programme. This is a well established programme that has helped youths, and we will like to know as much as possible about your programme”, she said.
The National Youth Service Corps’ Director General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, responded by stating that the program was created to advance integration and national harmony.
The empowerment of corps members with vocational skills while at the orientation center, according to Ahmed, has been a key initiative of NYSC since 2012. As a result, thousands of former corps members are now independent in a variety of professions all over the nation.
The advancement of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the Scheme is one of the focal points of his five-point policy push, he informed the World Bank team.
He reiterated his administration’s strong determination to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-reliance among the corps members.
The Director General thereafter applauded the World Bank team for the kind gesture of assistance.