The National Directorate of Employment is currently offering internships to 60 artisans in Gombe State as part of its commitment to supporting skilled workers in the country.

The Director-General of NDE, Abubakar Fikpo, who was represented by the Gombe State Coordinator, Jediel Stephen, disclosed during training for the artisans that 30 of them were engaged under its Artisans in Collaborative Construction Employment Scheme and another batch of 30 under the Environmental Beautification Training Scheme.

He said the artisans were engaged from across the 11 local government areas of the state.

He explained that beneficiaries under the Artisans in Collaborative Construction Employment Scheme would get the needed experience from their attachment to companies and imbibe needed professionalism.

Fikpo added that those on the Environmental Beautification Training Scheme, which comprises hard landscaping, soft landscaping, and Paster of Paris, would be trained by their masters, while NDE pays them.

He announced that the artisans would have a three-month internship, during which beneficiaries of ACCES would get N5,000 monthly stipend, while those in EBTS would be paid N2,000 as a stipend.

He said, “The ACCES is also targeted at imparting industry-led competency skills as well as providing appropriate certification to artisans under appropriate professional bodies.”

He claimed the schemes would engender more reliable and dependable sources of the workforce, and provide an avenue for improving and upgrading the skills of the Artisans.

According to him, it would also organise the artisans for regular and sustainable work, inculcate the spirit of professionalism and engender more trust in their potential clients.