Examining the Adequacy of National Open Apprenticeship Scheme in Training Youth for Economic Empowerment in Nigeria

Abstract

Youth unemployment in Nigeria has become one of the most serious socio-economic problems confronting the country. It is based on this recognition that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was established in 1986. The idea behind this is to train young people to acquire vocational/technical skills for selfemployment. The objective of the NDE’s vocational and technical skills acquisition is achieved via the National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (NOAS). In spite of this, the problem remained that the NOAS seems to be inadequate in training youth for self employment. In addition, it is not quite clear whether the scheme has adequately promoted the skills desired for the Nigerian youth. This paper examines the adequacy of the NOAS training system in preparing youth for self-employment in Nigeria. The objective of this study is to highlight the adequacy or otherwise of the NOAS training system. Therefore, using a sample of 278 beneficiaries, and using chi-square statistics, the study found out that the NOAS training system is adequate in ensuring youth economic empowerment in Nigeria. The paper therefore conclude that NOAS training is adequate in preparing youth for self reliance. The study recommends that the federal government of Nigeria should ensure that appropriate quantity of the required training facilities and resources are made available in order to ensure a greater of the unemployed youth are recruited into the scheme.