The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) collaborates Coscharis Ttechnologies limited, distribution channel partners of Dassault Systemes Solidworks, a software firm to train 18 youths from the southeast on software for automotive design.

Director General of NADDC, Jelani Aliyu stated this while presenting an address at a software capacity building programme held in Owerri on Monday.

He stressed that the training was part of Federal Government’s youth empowerment programmes aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment in Nigeria and making the youths more productive.

Aliyu who restated his belief in the yet to be tapped capabilities of Nigerian youths urged the participating youths to take advantage of the opportunity to learn skills that will make them marketable to the rest of the world.

“ The federal government is highly committed to youth empowerment and job creation through training in relevant fields because youths are future leaders.

“ I urge the participants to take advantage of this training to acquire skills that will make them more useful to society for their personal growth and for national development “, he said.

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Coscharis Group, Mr Cosmas Maduka assured the participants of his unflinching support and called on various state governments to parter Coscharis and Solidworks for sustainable development.

Maduka who was represented by the head of solution business for Solidworks, Mr Clement Nnedu promised that the firm will provide startup as well as certification funding for the participants.

“ Our commitment to this couse is unflinching. We will take care of certification cost and provide startup funding for the trainees.

“ We also urge state governments to partner Solidworks and Coscharis for the general good of the country, especially our teeming youths “, he said.

Also speaking, the chairman, NADDC governing board, Sen. Osita Izunaso a former senator representing Imo west senatorial district harped on the need for gifted nigerian youths to be given the opportunity to compete globally.

Izunaso who was represented by Mr Lambert Ekewuba, a member of the board said that the participants will support the council in designing and development of indigenous prototypes of automobiles which will eventually be used at a global level if they meet global standards.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the NADDC director of research design and development, Mr Fidelis Achiv said that the participants will be trained to use modern technology to assemble vehicles.

He urged the participants to take the training seriously as according to him, successful trainees will not only become self employed but also become global players.

In a response, one of the participants, Mr Charles Echefu, a graduate of robotics from Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom thanked the organizers of the training and called on youths to key into the programme.

TodayNG