No fewer than 2,693 youths and women are currently undergoing training by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kaduna State Directorate, under the federal government’s Renewed Hope Employment Initiative.

The training, which commenced in December 2024, is aimed at empowering the youth and women with vocational skills to become self-reliant.

The state coordinator, Halima Waziri, stated that 562 beneficiaries were undergoing training under the Rural Employment Promotion (REP), where they would learn poultry, fishery and crop production, among others.

She added that 1,276 were receiving training under the Vocational Skills and Development (VSD) and learning different vocational skills like plumbing, carpentry, fashion design and catering, among others.

Ms Waziri explained that 242 persons were undergoing training under the Special Public Works(SPW), learning landscaping, construction, solar installation and collaborating with artisans to upgrade the beneficiaries’ skills.

She stated that 613 beneficiaries were learning food processing, POS operation and business under the Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

The coordinator said deserving beneficiaries would receive starter kits while others would be given soft loans after the completion of the training to start up their businesses.

(NAN)