The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has advised retirees to embrace skills acquisition training programmes initiated by the establishment in order to avoid social exclusion.

The Acting Director-General of NDE, Mr. Olakunle Obayan, made the call on Tuesday in Awka, Anambra State capital, at a training programme organised for unemployed school leavers.

So far, about 25 trainees in the state have been shortlisted for the environmental beautification training scheme.

The NDE boss who spoke through a representative, Mrs. Patience Osunkwo, explained that the future belonged to skills acquisition.

In his words: “The NDE will continue to evolve new strategies and employment schemes in its various departments to combat the menace of unemployment in the country despite dwindling economic situation in the country.

“The Environmental Beautification Training was one of such programmes designed by the Special Public Works Department of NDE and I therefore invite all categories of the unemployed in society, including retirees, to come and embrace and benefit from the vast experience of the programmes developed over the years by the NDE.

“The calibre of trainees developed and produced will largely depend on the quality of training one is able to impact”.

He however, expressed gratitude to stakeholders in youth empowerment in the country for their efforts and urged master trainers of the programme to diligently transfer the required technology to the beneficiaries.

Earlier in his speech, the state coordinator of NDE, Mr. Michael Mbata said 345 young persons in the state have been engaged by the directorate in various skills acquisition and entrepreneurial training programmes.

He noted that time had come for the youths to take advantage of government-sponsored initiatives on self-employment and job creation.

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