Nigerian skills advocate and social enterprise iCreate Africa has announced that its annual Skills and Skills Competition, Conference and Exhibition SkillFest will be held from April 26 to 28 at the International Convention Center in Abuja.
SkillFest aims to promote skills as a global currency and a tool to help young people create a sustainable and inclusive economy, and the elegant promotion of trade professions always proves to be beneficial for exhibitors/competitors, especially visitors.
This supports the thesis that skill acquisition is an important sustainable solution to Nigeria’s high youth unemployment, skills shortage and industrialization.
Previous versions included competitions where artisans competed in various trade groups. B. plumber; Bricks, cladding, electrical installation, furniture, welding and fabrication. The sixth edition, aimed at bridging the huge skills gap in the built environment, is the second edition of the event under the Builders Show banner.
The sixth edition, which is tailored to address the huge skill gap in the built environment, will be the second time the event will be executed on the ‘Builders Show’ banner.
The Builders Show concept is novel and first of its kind, designed with multifaceted features which include panel discussions and paper presentations on topical issues bothering on skills in the built environment, competition amongst artisans from various trade professions, and exhibition by both public and private sector organisations in the built environment.
Perhaps the unique quality of the event and value proposition is the celebrity show outlook never experienced in the industry.
Artisans and their crafts will be showcased to stakeholders in the built environment through a contest amidst glitz and pageantry. The best-performing artisan will be awarded medals, trophies, and financial rewards.
After successfully hosting five editions across the country and impacting thousands of youths, we have recorded significant gains in closing the huge gap between supply and demand of professional skill with the SkillFest event. Chief amongst the gains include training artisans on proficiency, professionalism, image, safety, and billing.
We have supported several successful building projects by providing artisans with the quality skillset, thereby mitigating certain risks to the advantage of contractors and project owners. The 6th edition will be exponential,” said Bright Jaja, Founder, and CEO, iCreate Africa.
Bright Jaja, a 2019 member of the Forbes 30 Under 30, called for support and partnership in the forthcoming 6thedition of the Builders Show.
He said the skills competition, which is modeled after the Olympics, will feature the participation of Ten African countries competing across various construction trades for the title of “African Skills Champion” This includes African countries such as Ghana, the Republic of Benin, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, and South Africa.