The Lagos State Government (LASG), in collaboration with Oracle Corporation flagged off three IT Human Capacity talent building programmes which will further promote the state’s objective to deliver services to the citizens more effectively.
Adebiyi Mabadeje, commissioner for Science and Technology, Lagos State, while addressing guests in Alausa during the commencement of the programmes organised by the state’s Financial and Management Bureau, identified the three Human Capacity building programmes as will ensure Employee Readiness, Youth Readiness, as well as Workforce Development.
He said the State Government collaboration with Oracle will achieve several objectives like enriching and equipping existing talents among government employees with Oracle skills to support strategic IT projects and leveraging on the expertise of Oracle’s Public Sector Centre of Excellence to run workshops for top Information officers of MDAs on best practices, market trends and business solutions on topics such as improving service delivery to the citizens using social media.
He also said that some aspects of the programmes are tailored towards training graduates under the workforce development programme on Oracle Database or Oracle e-Business suite for the acquisition of industry-relevant skills and opportunities for internships within some of the state’s ministries.
“Through this programmes we are introducing industry-relevant computer science and Oracle courseware into the curricula of universities and public high schools. This will make the Lagos e-Learning Centre an Oracle University authorized training partner,” the Commissioner said.
Also speaking, Mr Adebayo Sanni, country managing director of Oracle Nigeria, while assessing the present IT skills in Nigeria as either crisis or opportunity, he noted that Nigeria’s young population presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
To this end, the challenge is skilling and finding employment for our youth as opportunity exists though to harness their energy and creativity to innovate
“IT is a great vehicle to achieve this. The Federal Government has recently announced plans to double investment in ICT. ICT skills are crucial to support the proposed sector growth from $25 billion to $50 billion. The current ICT skills gap threatens to slow economic growth.
“The way forward that entails long-term approach with different programmes for different groups is needed. Therefore, Oracle and Lagos State are taking an immediate, mid-term and long-term approach developing a progressive roadmap to meet the needs, and create future opportunity in Lagos
“These Programmes assist in tackling the challenges of human capacity and effectively boost economic development in a fast growing economy like Nigeria,” he said.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Nike Animashaun, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the collaboration with Oracle was in line with the continuous capacity building programme of the administration of the Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, to revolutionise how public servants interact and render services to the citizens.
However, Sanni said that Oracle’s goal is getting the youths interested in Computer Science, driving change in ICT syllabi and thereby helping the governments at all levels to future-proof their economies for growth and job creation.
He disclosed that Oracle was proud to collaborate with the state government because of the commitment it showed in investing in its own internal Oracle skills and developing ICT talents in the state.
The Oracle Boss added that the Oracle Academy is working with Oracle Academy members Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos State University and the University of Lagos to support the inclusion of industry-relevant content in their Computer Science programmes and to deliver Oracle database training for university lecturers.