SkillNG Holds Skills Acquisition Programme for Students on #ASUU Strike

December is here, herald of holidays and harmattan. It also makes it a month since the Academic staff union of universities went on an indefinite strike. In line with its mission, SkillNG, a startup that connects tutors to learners who want to learn vocational, entrepreneurship, digital and professional skills, has organized a training session tagged “ASUU Strikers” for students affected by the ongoing ASUU strike.

The training which started on the 8th of December, 2018 was geared towards empowering students with hands-on experience on essential skills and helping them make a good use of their time. The learners were tutored by well-seasoned trainers in graphics design, Microsoft packages and CV writing. The duration of the class was different and was according to the extent of the skillset. Graphics design class lasted for four days; Microsoft packages, five; and CV writing, a day.

CV writing is a necessary skill for any job seeker, it is what speaks on behalf of the owner. The session was not just about writing CVs, as the trainer talked about goal setting and tips for getting jobs. According to him, the same CV should not be used for the same job, it should rather be tailored to that specific job. He also discussed the content and structure of a CV and different formats used in writing them. The learners learnt how to craft an outstanding CV after which they were tasked to write theirs.

A combination of art and technology, graphics design is an essential tool needed for effective communication. People especially appreciate a creative combination of text, colour and sometimes images than just text. The first graphics design class was an introductory one. The Corel draw software was installed on their personal computers and they were familiarized with the interface. In subsequent classes, the learners were taught how to design e-flyers, posters, and banners. They also learnt how to trace vector images from photographs. At the end of each classes, they were all assigned to design what they have learnt on their own.

Microsoft office applications are used in offices and business for word processing, calculations, presentations, and information gathering. The learners were exposed to fundamentals of these packages. They were taught how to work with Microsoft word, powerpoint, excel and onenote, which was new to most of them. The approach of the tutor was practical and they tested with assignments.

Samuel Adeoti, one of the learners expressed his gratitude, saying “The graphics class was very engaging and interactive as the tutor took us through the tasks properly. I appreciate SkillNG and look forward to more classes.” Chuks Obi also said “I learnt how to design e-flyers, banners and posters within three days for a very low price. This is quite cheap compared to the value gained from the training. The tutor was very patient in teaching and attending to questions. It was a great experience.” Babalola Khadeejah also showed her satisfaction. She said “It was such a fantastic session. My horizon is broadened.”

Mr Mujeeb Jummah, one of the tutors was delighted to be part of the programme. He said: “Thanks to SkillNG, I was able to make some change from teaching some of my skills. SkillNG was able to connect me with those interested in what I had to offer taking away the stress of having to find students and others who needed my services alone. If you’re good at something and you will like to teach it, SkillNG is the right place to come and earn with no stress”.