Skills Acquizition & Entrepreneurship
The
Methodist Church Nigeria Conference Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship
Scheme was approved for establishment during on 26th September, 2021
during Conference Connexional Council held at Hoare’s Memorial Methodist
Cathedral, Yaba, Lagos to contribute to the development of the 4-Point Agenda
of the Prelate, His Eminence, Dr Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, JP which is to: grow the Church Spiritually, Infrastructurally,
Numerically and Financially.
The pioneer Conference Skills Acquisition and
Entrepreneurship Technical Committee was dedicated by the Prelate for the first
time in the history of Methodism at the 4th National Convention held at Opara
Square Enugu, Enugu State, and a young Minister who has strong passion in human
capacity development, evangelically sound and entrepreneurially gifted, the Rev Ekwere Udo
Joshua was appointed the Pioneer Conference Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship
Coordinator. The Rev Ekwere Joshua who has flare in skills acquisition
coordination and sound in business/investments expertise knowledge is a Masters
Degree holder in Human Resources Management, and former lecturer on
Entrepreneurial Studies in JPTS Institute of Science, Management and Technology
with several years of experience in the Governor’s office Akwa Ibom State
Government in charge of Skills Acquisition and Human Development Centre. The
Conference Coordinator, the Rev Ekwere Joshua whose inspiration was from his
late father who was a widely known tailor is also the National Vice President,
Akwa Ibom Indigenes in Business and Technology, and a founding member of Ibom
Entrepreneurs Union. He is also good in Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, and
Micro Financing businesses.
The
Prelate, His Eminence, Dr Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche JP and Conference
Officials during the South South Ministers' Ordination held at Immanuel
Methodist Cathedral, Itiam Etoi, Diocese
of Uyo in 2020 were highly delighted
with the display of Skills Acquisition Programme during the Skills Exhibition
in Uyo. The roll call of 1,700 trainees with over 50 skills trainers during
First Batch of the pilot scheme in 2020 trained in different skills, graduated,
empowered with starter packs in Uyo, and were brought forward by the then
Archbishop of Uyo, His Grace, Most
Reverend Chimezuo O. N Nwankpa and was assisted by The Rev Ekwere Joshua
with members of the Archdiocesan Skills Acquisition Committee. Birthed through
the instrumentality of the Head of the Church, His Eminence Dr Samuel 'Emeka
Kanu, JP as the Prelate, the skills acquisition programme started in
Archdiocese of Uyo in January 3rd, 2019.
The
Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship was adopted in the Methodist Church
Nigeria as a Department with the mandate to create jobs, train and re-train
members in different skills and empower them as the need arises, establish
Skills Acquisition Centres in all Dioceses and Archdioceses, source for funds
and starter packs for the members under training and use the programme to win
more souls as well as contributing towards investments in the Church.
TYPES OF SKILLS
These
comprise both Soft and Technical Skills thus:
1.
Fashion and Design
2.
Catering/Baking
3.
Welding and Fabrication
4.
Carpentry and Upholstery
5.
Knitting
6.
Decoration and Event Management
7.
ICT and Computer
8.
Fascinators
9.
Beads, Bags and Hats making
10.
Tie and Dye
11.
POP ceiling
12.
Agro-Allied Business: Animal and Crops/ Feeds Production
13. Online Marketing such as: Copywriting, Sales
funnel building, Facebook/Instagram ads(blueprint), Graphic and Web Design, Automations, Closing
of sales, Whatsapp marketing and Email Marketing
14. Industrial Electrical
15. Industrial Instrumentation (Industrial Automation, Mechatronics, HVAC & R, Safety and Quality Control, HSE.
16.
Mechanics and Driving
17.
Arts and Crafts
18. Shoe
Making
19.
Cosmetic Production
20.
Make-Overs and Head-tie
21. Paint Making
22 Hairdressing Salon, etc.
OUR MANDATE
The
Conference Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Department has the mandate
for the following:
i. To train and empower Church members,
especially youths, graduates, undergraduates and the unemployed in the Church
with the view to foster poverty alleviation and, wealth and job creation in our Church system.
ii.
To train and re-train from time to time all Diocesan and Archdiocesan appointed
Skills Acquisition Coordinators on new skills development.
iii.
To bring at all times innovation and dynamic world trends into the programme as
the case may.
iv.
To develop strategy to engage our youths and the unemployed members into
acquiring different Skills
v.
To work in liaison with and place guidance to Diocesan and Archdiocesan
Coordinators to establish Skills Acquisition Centres across the Conference
Area.
vi.
To establish Methodist Skills Acquisition Incubation Centres across the
Conference Area.
vii.
To form a Skill Cluster System for easy accessibility of funding. This means
that every trade just come together to form a CLUSTER. For instance, All
Fashion and Design trainers and trainees shall come together to form a cluster
Cooperative Model, and so on for easy funding
viii.
To develop human capacity building Programmes both online and offline for our
members
ix.
To train members on business and Entrepreneurial development
x.
To mobilize and engage positively Methodist
Members who are skills professionals for this programme and assist to
make them have a platform to access business windows to improve their
endeavours
xi.
To create empowerment model for the skills trainees after their training
Programme
xii.
To establish Cooperative Union at the Conference level while guiding Dioceses and
Archdioceses to establish Multi-purpose Cooperative Society
xiii.
To work with relevant Government Ministries and Agencies as well as individuals
and NGOs both local, national and international for supports.
xiv.
To source for funds for the development of the Scheme
xv.
To tackle poverty through job creation and achieve self- sufficiency and
reliance for the teeming members
xvi.
To use this scheme as a new evangelism strategy for soul winning.
xvii.
To create online *METHODIST BUSINESS HUB* where all Methodist members who are
artisans with their products/addresses are profiled for optimization and
patronage. This will also help Businessmen in Methodist Church advertise their
products
xviii.
To create *CUSTOMER POOL* for the Wesley *Micro-finance Bank*
xix.
To work with Agric and Investment Committees for the development of MSMEs
and SMEs
for proper investments within Methodist family.
ACHIEVEMENTS/PROGRAMMES
So far, the Department has done a lot since the dedication of the Committee such as:
a
Zonal Training of all Diocesan and Archdiocesan Skills Acquisition
Coordinators on its *TRAIN-THE-TRAINERS PROGRAMME* with The Very Rev.
Godwin Onovo, Ph.D and The Rev Ekwere Joshua, MSc as facilitators at
different zones.
b. We have trained more than 4,500 members so far across the Conference Area with different trades of their choice.
c We are supervising different Dioceses and guiding them to start the programme.
d. We are also guiding individuals who had contacted us to establish Skills Acquisition Centres in their Dioceses.
e. We are also guiding the Dioceses on how to establish Multi-purpose Cooperative Society at their levels
f. Some of our registered trainers are also training and employing some of the graduating trainees into their establishment
g. We have also open CONFERENCE SKILLS ACQUISITION ACCOUNT which shall be made public for support
h.
Registration of Multi-purpose Cooperative Society is facilitated with
the view of working with other Diocesan and Archdiocesan Cooperative
Societies to form *Cooperative Union* at the Conference Area.
CERTIFICATION
The
Department has partnered some Government Agencies for the awarding of
Certificates to graduating trainees at different categories. The
Agencies include but not limited to:
1. Small and Medium Enterprises Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN
2. National Directorate for Employment, NDE
3. National Industrial Fund, ITF
4. Different Skills Acquisition Centres, etc.
PROJECTION
1. We have the target to create at least 3,000 jobs annually.
2.
We look forward to receiving 100% training, empowerment and/or
employment by NDE, SMEDAN, ITF, NGOs and some of the Private sectors.
3.
A National Skills Acquisition Incubation Centre shall be built by the
Conference to house and incubate some of our graduating trainees who may
not have starter packs until they are matured to have shops of their
own
4. We have the projection of making our graduating trainees become trainers in the future.
5.
The Department shall establish *METHODIST BUSINESS HUBS* to advertise
online the goods and services of our members who are artisans and
businessmen.
6. The Department is also working assiduously to
establish NGO called *METHODIST CARES SUPPORT INITIATIVE ( MCSI)* to
source for funds for the Programme.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
i. It's an effective and recognized panacea to foster poverty alleviation and job creation in our Church system.
ii.
It will encourage entrepreneurship and lead to the provision of
micro-credit financing of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, among
Methodist members
iii. Skills Acquisition will boost robustly
local industries and investments, and further creates more employment
opportunities within the Church.
iv. The artisan man-power
produced from the skill acquisition can be utilized to create and manage
investments in different strata of our Church.
v. This Programme
shall be a strong pointer to the Church as a responsible organisation
that engages in "Social Holiness" as practiced by John Wesley.
PARTNERS
1. National Directorate for Employment, NDE
2. Small and Medium Enterprises Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN
3 Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,
4. Bank of Industries, BOI
5. National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC
6. Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON
7. Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC
8. NGOs
9. Relevant Government Ministries/ Agencies, etc.
THE PIONEER TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE:
1. THE REVD EKWERE JOSHUA- PIONEER CONFERENCE COORDINATOR
2. THE VERY REVD OSONDU EKWEREMADU- ENUGU ARCHDIOCESE
3. THE VERY REVD OBIOMA IROABUEKE- PORT HARCOURT ARCHDIOCESE
4. SIR ESSANG NSA BASSEY- UYO ARCHDIOCESE
5. THE REVD MARCUS ONUOHA- ABUJA ARCHDIOCESE
6. THE VERY REVD MAJEKODUNMI MAKIND- ILESA ARCHDIOCESE
7. THE VERY REVD THOMAS AMEH- BENUE ARCHDIOCESE
8. THE VERY REVD ISAIAH OLASUNKANMI- EGBEYEWA
9. SIR GBOLAHAM OLAYOMI- LAGOS ARCHDIOCESE
10. BARR ABIMBOLA AKINYEMI NATIONAL YOUTH PRESIDENT
11. THE VERY REVD PETER NWOKOCHA-UMUAHIA ARCHDIOCESE
12. EVANG OLUMIDE OYETOYINBO- LAGOS CENTRAL
13. THE MOST REVD CHIMEZUO NWANKPA- CHAIRMAN.
CONTACTS:
The Rev. Ekwere Joshua +234 806 887 6946, +234 803 475 6617, + 234 701 031 2400
mcnskilksaquisition@gmail.com
