85% of manufacturing jobs taken over by Robots -NBTE Boss

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr Masa’udu Kazaure has said that between 2,000 and 2011, robots had replaced 85 per cent of manufacturing jobs, making skill requirement for the jobs of the 21st century keeps changing on daily basis.
He stated this at the opening of Innovation in Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST) meeting with Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Partner Instructions held in Kaduna.
The NBTE Boss added that with increased globalisation and technological advancement, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions must brace up for the challenge of the future, saying there is the need to update and upgrade TVET capacity for effective and cutting edge training delivery, stressing that the technical sector need a push on innovation and growth.
“Research has shown that the skill requirement for the jobs of the 21st century keeps changing as new jobs are created and that between 2,000 and 2011, robot has replaced 85 per cent of manufacturing jobs.“ Therefore,
with increased globalisation and technological advancement, TVET institutions must brace up for the challenge of the future,” he said.
According to him, there is the need to update and upgrade TVET capacity for effective and cutting edge training delivery, stressing that the technical sector need a push on innovation and growth.
“We have the opportunity to update our training capacity through the INVEST programme, and we shall make the best use of it,”he added,
He explained that the meeting was organised to deliberate on e-learning strategy for TVET, consider results for organisational capacity for Open and Distant Flexible Learning and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The NBTE boss said that the INVEST partners programme was instituted in 2010 to support members institutions working to integrate ICT into TVET teaching and learning.
According to him, the COL was an intergovernmental institution under the Commonwealth of Nations, working with institutions in member nations to expand frontiers of learning for sustainable development.
“Through the INVEST programme, COL support partners in policy development, strategic and capacity planning, organisational development, ICT infrastructure management and use of ICT for teaching and learning.
“So far, 1019 NBTE and members institution staffs have benefited from various training under the INVEST programme. “We would continue to take advantage of this laudable opportunity for professional development, “He said.
Kazaure noted that Nigeria’s TVET graduates were in stiff competition with foreigners, adding that they are at risk of losing out if training needs do not conform to 21st century He reiterated the commitment NBTE to improving Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to meet the requirements of 21st century.
Also speaking, the Director, NBTE Centre of Excellence for TVE, Dr Amina Idris, described the meeting as an opportunity to report and assesses what each institution has been doing to promote flexible skills.
“It also provided us with opportunity to strengthen our resolve on best practices that would lead to greater result,”she said.
Idris said that NBTE has engendered the increase in institutional membership on INVEST Nigeria from 13 in 2010 to currently 29 in the country.