The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has restructured its skills development strategy by ending the distribution of starter packs to artisan training graduates.

Instead, it will now focus on equipping trainees with local and international certifications to boost their global employability.

ITF Director-General, Dr. Afiz Ogun, announced the change during a press briefing in Abuja, following assessments of partner training centres in the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) program.

He said that, As SUPA enters its second phase, ITF plans to expand its accredited training centers from 880 to 1,500, targeting 100,000 graduates in this phase alone.

Dr. Ogun stated that, the new phase will include 29,000 artisans from the first phase and some of the over 700,000 already registered online.

He noted that, the ITF aims to establish at least two training centres in each local government area to ensure accessibility.

The accreditation process evaluates each centre’s structure, equipment, and instructors. Approved centres will be categorized (A, B, or C) and matched with artisans based on their location. This deployment will be completed by April 30, 2025.

While explaining that,over 3,000 instructors have undergone training to meet international standards, The DG revealed that, ITF is also working on equipment support and financial access for centres, aiming to collaborate with 10,000 well-established training institutions to train 2 million artisans annually.

He disclosed that, ITF is partnering with the Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) for certification, adding that, this phase lasts eight weeks and leads to a final technical training phase focused on hands-on skills and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Ogun emphasized that SUPA addresses unemployment, quackery, and manpower shortages, aligning with ITF’s core mission.

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, key ministers, and private sector partners for their support, assuring that the program’s impact will soon be evident through a better-skilled workforce.