--- Top 5 students were taken to Switzerland for further training
--- Of the thirteen graduating students, 8 gained employment with Nestlé
Nestlé Nigeria has held a ceremony at the Agbara Factory to present certificates to the pioneer graduates of its Technical Training Centre who have completed 18 months of multi-skill engineering training, the cost which was fully paid by the company.
Under an agreement between Nestlé, the Nigerian authorities and the Swiss government, the top five graduating students of each batch will undergo additional three month internship in Switzerland, practicing their trade with the Group’s factories.
The cost of training the 13 who graduated on July 12, 2013, was borne by Nestlé to address youth employment issues in its catchment by equipping the sponsored beneficiaries with employable skills.
The content of the course was based on the syllabus of the Technician Examinations Certificate of City and Guilds of London, one of the world’s leading vocational education organizations.
The Agbara Factory Technical Training programme is open to young Ordinary National Diploma certificate holders, with specialty in electrical, electronic, mechanical and automation engineering.
Head of Human Resources of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Marie Owoniyi, commended the graduands for their hard work and diligence throughout the course, and urged them to utilize their newly acquired skills to make a positive difference wherever they find themselves.
Mrs G. A. Dipeolu who represented the Nigerian Industrial Training Fund (ITF) commended Nestlé and the Swiss government for helping the federal government in its capacity building efforts. 
“Programmes such as the one offered by the Nestlé Technical Training Centre can help to fill the skills gap in the technical sector because the students are exposed to the highest education standards and get to apply their skills through the industrial training component”, she said.
Antonio Villalobos, Agbara Factory Manager, encouraged the graduands not to relent in their efforts. He advised them to imbibe the values of hard work, teamwork, discipline and leadership in their future endeavours.
One of the graduands, Chima Uche, thanked Nestlé on behalf of the group for the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience during the course: “We have received your education and are equipped to take on the world. A solid foundation has been laid for the future on which we must independently design and build on.”
Reflecting on his experience acquiring additional training in Switzerland, Chima notes that apart from being exposed to industrial processes and the company’s work ethics, the beneficiaries also learnt how to adapt to cultural differences.”
The Nestlé Technical Training Programme serves to impact the students with practical engineering knowledge and skills. It also serves as a refresher centre for Nestlé employees to upgrade their technical skills and competences.
All the thirteen graduating students have gained employment, with of eight of them working with Nestlé .
A new set of sixteen students will commence studies in August 2013.
Nestlé in Central & West Africa Region is keen to invest more in developing people, and extend this experience in other countries within the next years.