The Cross River State Government has commenced an oil and gas skills development programme targeting 2,000 young people across the state.
The programme, organised under the theme “Skill Up in the Season of Sweetness,” provides beneficiaries with Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited certificate and diploma training designed to equip them with skills relevant to opportunities in the oil and gas industry.
The programme was launched on Thursday by Governor Bassey Otu, who was represented at the event by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem.
Representing the governor, Ayambem said the initiative was designed to provide participants with practical competencies and professional qualifications that could improve their access to opportunities within Nigeria’s evolving energy sector.
He said the programme was part of the administration’s People First Agenda, particularly its focus on human capital development and youth empowerment.
According to him, the oil and gas industry offers opportunities beyond exploration and production, including engineering, logistics, safety, environmental management, procurement, maintenance and data services.
“The responsibility of government is to ensure that young people acquire the knowledge, technical competence and professional credentials required to compete effectively for opportunities in the evolving global energy sector,” Ayambem said.
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Otu said the training of 2,000 youths through CPD-accredited certificate and diploma programmes represented an investment in the beneficiaries, their families and communities, as well as the state’s productive capacity.
He urged participants to take the training seriously and embrace continuous learning, noting that the qualifications could support professional development, entrepreneurship and participation in the wider economy.
The governor said his administration would continue to implement programmes aimed at expanding young people’s access to skills, enterprise opportunities and employment.
“We are building a state in which talent is recognised, skills are rewarded, and young people are equipped to become employers, professionals and contributors to sustainable development,” Otu said.
He commended the programme’s organisers and technical partners for supporting the initiative and urged beneficiaries to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to their professional pursuits.
Otu also encouraged the participants to “skill up, stand out and contribute meaningfully to the Season of Sweetness,” while urging them to serve as ambassadors of Cross River State in their various professional engagements.
The initiative is expected to provide participants with industry-focused training that can strengthen their technical and professional capacity while widening access to opportunities within the energy sector.