The Director General, National Automotive Design And Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Joseph Osanipin has charged the Auto Sector Skills Council (SSC) to incorporate advanced technology in developing Operational Standards for auto mechatronics training in Nigeria.
Osanipin stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the Sector Skills Council Awareness/Sensitisation Workshop for the Northern Zone organised by the NADDC in conjunction with SSC.
Speaking at the event, he encouraged participants and some industry players to embrace the demands of current realities in the technological advancement of the sector and upgrade their skills by taking advantage of training curriculum and facilities provided by the Council.
He said: “The way the Auto Industry worked 30, 40, years ago is no longer the way it works today; and the key element is training. The Council realized this and partnered with SSC to identify gaps, the area where we have major problems is electrical and electronics”.
Addressing the participants, the President of the automotive Sector Skill Council, Engr. Francis Udeh expressed satisfaction for the workshop which according to him would sensitise it’s members about the current administration’s commitment to revolutionise the sector.
Other key Stakeholders at the event includes NATA, MOMTAN , the representatives from Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, National Board of Technical Education, Industrial Training Fund, the German Technical Cooperation, PAN, ANAMMCO, etc.
Available information indicares that the Council has developed instructional manuals, curriculum, and trained automotive engineers. About 25 Training Assessors and 6 Verifiers have also benefited from these technical trainings.
The national validity assessment and certification system for the recognition of skills and competences as developed by the National Occupational Standards has been in operation since 2016 and has been deployed in the assessment of automotive mechanic, technicians and mechatronics trainees.
Nigeria is targeting over 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and 55,000 CNG Conversion Kits for the benefit of existing PMS-dependent vehicles. There is also the Electric Vehicle mobility gaining gradual entrance, thus the need to sensitize the Industry personnel and identify skill gap.
The workshop will equip the participants with the required knowledge for prompt and efficient repairs and maintenance of vehicles, while ensuring safety of mechanics, vehicles and environmental safety standards, the need to upgrade the skills of the Industry professional workforce – technicians.
