Delta establishes business enterprises for STEP graduates ~ Truth Reporters

Delta State Government has commenced the handing out of starter packs to 2019/2020 Cycle graduates of its Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) to establish them in their chosen businesses.

The presentation of starter packs to the beneficiaries was approved after they were certified by the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer, having completed the training and passed the Completion Proficiency Test meritoriously.

The establishment with starter packs which began yesterday 24th June, 2020 would last till Friday 26th June, 2016 to ensure that the STEPreneurs numbering 112 were properly put into groups of twenty each in two segments daily to ensure physical distancing in total compliance to the COVID-19 preventive guidelines

The graduating STEPreneurs included those trained in Catering and Confectionery; Decoration and Event Management; PoP, Screed-Making and Painting; Production of Cleaning Agents, and Hairdressing, Makeover and Braiding whose training module was for three months.

While congratulating them for the successful completion of their training, the Coordinator of STEP in the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer, Mr Nkenchor Onyeisi, affirmed that they were invited to receive their starter packs because they have been certified by the job creation office to begin their enterprises having meritoriously completed all the activities in the programme.

Mr Nkenchor commended the state government for sustaining the programme in the past five years, stressing that through STEP thousands of unemployed youths have been gainfully engaged to live meaningful lives.

He recalled that the beneficiaries have come out stronger having gone through the various training activities such as the Orientation and Personal Effectiveness Training; the hands-on-training at the various training centres across the state; the Completion Proficiency Test, and the Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training which ended last week.

“The job creation programme is a progressive package. Progression into the next stage is built on the previous one. Without success in one, you cannot proceed to the next phase. You are among the successful ones who enrolled for the programme and graduated without hitch. I am particularly happy for you that you started well and that you are finishing strong,” he stated.

He explained that the starter packs given to them were grant except the shop rent which is a micro credit with 6 months moratorium payable within 24 months, adding that the state government has provided them with the needed support package to own and run their businesses successfully.

He charged them to remain focused and committed to their businesses, to register their enterprises and to hit the ground running in order to become great entrepreneurs and job creators in the shortest possible time.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to our reporter expressed their gratitude to the state government for offering them the platform to acquire skills free of charge and for nurturing them into entrepreneurs.

They pledged to use the knowledge acquired to improve their lives and to become job creators.