Employment opportunities highlighted at opening of African leather college
A new college in Nigeria dedicated to increasing employment opportunities through leather and shoe making has produced its first crop of graduates.
Located in Zaria, Kaduna State, the Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology (CHELTECH) is a local government-sponsored initiative aimed at reducing levels of unemployment among school leavers. Speaking to the local press last week, the provost of the college, Dr. Samuel Achi, said that since opening earlier in 2001, the college had successfully trained 25 school leavers and that it was about to begin a new term with a fresh intake of students.
Dr Achi said aside from the training itself, the college was also looking to build a workshop that its graduates could use to become self sustaining in society. A donation of land had already been received from the Zaria local government for the purpose, the Principal said.
Dr Achi further reported that aside from its school-leaver programme, the college would soon begin a degree course in leather technology. Drawn up in collaboration with the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, the course would both provide manpower to the nation's leather industry while obviating the need to send students abroad for such training.
Referring to the college’s ambition to produce a ‘Made in Nigeria’ football, Dr Achi said that although the project was well advanced, further outside funding was now required for its successful completion.
