The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has said it has begun the training of 800 youths from across Ekiti State under the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS), for vocational skill acquisition.

The skill acquisition covers computer, fashion designing, shoe and bag making, GSM repairs, hair dressing, barbing, bead stringing and catering.

The Coordinator, Mr. Alao Babatunde, in a statement said the trainees include unskilled men and women who are primary school leavers, secondary school leavers, dropouts as well as other unemployed persons.

He said the beneficiaries were drawn from the three senatorial districts and would be trained for three months.

Babatunde noted that the programme was in line with the directorate’s mandate to design and implement programmes to reduce unemployment.

He added that NDE would continue to evolve new schemes to reduce poverty and unemployment despite the current economic challenges.

Babatunde said the choice of the specialised training in vocational skill acquisition was a carefully designed initiative to align the participants with the current demands of the economy.

He praised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for its efforts in reducing the menace of unemployment through policies.

Babatunde advised the beneficiaries to be of good conduct and cooperate with the trainers during the training.