The Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) on Tuesday graduated its first class of 1.1 students from the NBCC Tech Academy.
Ms Bisi Adeyemi, president, NBCC, said at the graduation ceremony in Lagos that the chamber was driven by a desire to bridge the knowledge gap and equip young people with requisite technical skills.
Adeyemi noted that given the opportunities tech offered in the face of high unemployment rates, the phrase “tech is the new oil” was on the lips of many.
“The main reason for the academy’s establishment was the desire to bridge the gender wage gap in the tech sector.
“In spite of the sector’s expansion, it is yet to impact the unemployment rate, which increased from 32.5 per cent in 2021 to 33 per cent in 2022.
“On July 4, the tech academy’s first cohort began with more than 50 participants, both male and female.
“However, the fact that we had more applications from the gentlemen further highlights the need to be more purposeful in drawing more women to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields,” she said.
Mrs Solape Akinpelu, Chairman, Technology Committee, NBCC, noted that the NBCC tech academy was established to mentor and train young people in Nigeria, particularly women.
This, she explained, would provide them with the necessary technical skills as part of the Chamber’s efforts to promote economic growth and accelerate the adoption of technology.
She charged the graduands to put the acquired skills to good use to improve the employment indices of the country.
“This graduation day is a momentous occasion that marks both an end and a new beginning as it is filled with pleasant memories of the past and great expectations for the future.
“The next cohort of the NBCC Academy is scheduled to commence in March 2023.
“Attendance at the Academy is free, which is made possible through the generosity of the sponsors,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dataflex Nigeria Ltd., PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Department of International Trade, HerVest, The Nest Innovation Park, CWG, and Heckerbella, partnered the NBCC on the tech academy. (NAN)
