Nigeria is endowed with abundant human, material, and natural resources, positioning it as a potential prime mover for the development of the African continent. Harnessing and deploying these resources effectively could transform Nigeria into a continental and global success. This article aims not to lament past missed opportunities but to advocate for new strategies to propel the nation’s rapid development.
Human Capital: Key to Economic Revamp
To revamp its economy, Nigeria must focus on its human resources. The country’s capacity to acquire competencies at any level worldwide is undeniable. However, despite this potential, Nigeria’s youth population is largely unskilled, underemployed, or unemployed. Fully deploying these skills could reverse the current brain drain trend, where many young Nigerians migrate to countries with unfriendly climates and social conditions. Skill development is a quick fix to youth unemployment challenges.
Skills Development and Deployment
The country must prioritize skills development, acquisition, and deployment within formal and informal education systems. Graduates from Nigerian institutions are often not industry-ready, making them unattractive to employers. Those trained through informal apprenticeship systems lack standardized training and are not organized to provide quality services. Thus, Nigeria needs to rethink its strategy for capacity building and skills acquisition. Introducing Sector Skills Councils is a robust solution for harnessing the untapped potential of Nigerian youth.
Sector Skills Councils: A Strategic Approach
Sector Skills Councils are platforms that facilitate systematic cooperation among stakeholders in specific economic sectors. These stakeholders include government bodies, training institutions, private sector organizations, trade unions, professional bodies, and regulatory agencies. The goal is to connect education with labor market needs, promote employment, and foster innovation through relevant skills development.
Training for the Labor Market
A skilled workforce is essential for economic growth and competitiveness. Therefore, dialogue between representatives of various economic sectors, public authorities, and training institutions is crucial. This approach requires proactive cooperation from all parties involved. One key goal of education and training systems is to produce employable graduates with skills and competencies needed in the labor market.
Sector Approaches to Skills Development
Many countries use sector approaches to promote skills development, recognizing that labor markets are not homogeneous and that skill needs vary by economic sector. For effective skills development, it is essential to understand the specific needs of different economic activities.
What is a Sector Skills Council?
Sector Skills Councils are permanent structures that identify and analyze skill needs within a specific economic sector. They may be established through initiatives by social partners or the government and are usually recognized in legislation. This recognition legitimizes their work and grants them the right to express their opinions publicly. These councils bring together public authorities, the private sector, training organizations, regulatory bodies, trade unions, and educational institutes to develop the sector.
International Experience and Responsibilities
Internationally, Sector Skills Councils cover areas such as labor market analysis, forecasting skills needs, matching training provision to labor market needs, and policy advice on lifelong learning and vocational education and training (VET). They foster cooperation between educational providers and employers, provide workforce training, and fund training programs.
Sector Skills Councils in Nigeria
Currently, Nigeria has fourteen Sector Skills Councils, including those for Power, Engineering, Building, Hospitality and Tourism, Automotive Industry, Education and Care, Occupational Health and Safety, Articulated Vehicles, ICT, and Security. Their responsibilities include skills development, training delivery to meet industry standards, reducing skills gaps, improving productivity, and setting up labor market information systems (LMIS). They also develop skills competency standards and national occupational standards (NOS), standardize accreditation, plan and execute trainer training, and promote excellence in training and service delivery.
Conclusion
The absence of Sector Skills Councils has led to fragmented skills development efforts and resource wastage. Establishing these councils will address skills mismatches and ensure that training aligns with industry needs. Sector Skills Councils provide a comprehensive solution to skills gaps and mismatches, offering a strong platform for advocacy and feedback on skills policies.
Bldr. Samson Ameh Opaluwah
President, Sector Skills Council for Building in Nigeria.
