For its successes within its first year, SkillUpImo project has attracted more blue chip companies, especially those in the tech space. The latest addition to the list is Wakanow.
SkillUpImo, a spinoff of the digital economy agenda of Imo State Governor, Dist, Senator Hope Uzodinma, targets to train and equip 300,000 Imolites with Industry 4.0 skillset, connecting 60 per cent of them to high- paying jobs and empowering the rest 40 per cent to be tech-preneurs.
This development, the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, noted, came on the heels of transformative partnership talks by officials of SkillUpImo and Wakanow, an online travel consolidator that offers flight bookings, hotel reservations, airport pickups and tour services. With 8,000 affiliates and 500 sub-agents, across Africa.
In a two-day entrepreneurship workshop for affiliates and sub-agents of Wakanow recently held at the newly reconstructed 3R Digital Learning Centre, Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government headquarters, which over 250 participants took part in skill-based training, the Honorable Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Amadi, appreciated the Wakanow group for establishing their first South East office in Imo State, in recognition of the contributions of Uzodimma in the digital upskilling and economic empowerment of Imo youths.
“The most important opportunity presented by this training is the possibility of being your own boss. You can work from your homes and earn hard currencies. In SkillUpImo, you are transformed from being a job-seeker to a wealth creator. We support you to innovate and elevate with your ideas. Today, this opportunity is here with us,” he told the participants.
During the training, Amadeus and Saber Global Distribution System (GDS), partners of wakanow.com, were on the ground to make presentations after which panel discussions were held on industry trends.
There were tests to assess participants’ knowledge of what was taught them, as well as prize giving on the last day.
The atmosphere was charged with anticipation and excitement as 44 winners emerged from the first round of test questions with a prospect of being engaged as frontline Affiliates of wakanow.com operations in the Southeast region. Four out of the five shortlisted trainees Alex Akujobi, Promise Chizaram and Kelechi Chilaka, and Grace Akor, emerged as finalists and were gifted Samsung tablets and HP laptop while other participants went home with lots of giveaways from wakanow and its partners.
In his closing remarks, Amadi thanked the Wakanow group. While reminding all of the limitless opportunities of transformation and empowerment prevalent in Private-Public Partnership (PPP), he called for further partnerships and collaboration to take SkillUpImo to its target destination. The Wakanow team that facilitated the training programme included Director, Corporate and Holidays, Gbenga Onitilo; Head, Affiliate Business, Wole Taylor; Regional Manager, Michel Chikeka; Affiliate Sales Supervisor, Onyeka Nwoko; Head of Marketing, Nigeria, Jerimiah Badero; Video Graphics, Damodar Iroayo and Motion Graphics, Emmanuel Adesina
