One hundred young people in Abia State have graduated from the maiden cohort of the ThriveAbia digital skills development programme, in a move aimed at expanding employment opportunities, encouraging entrepreneurship and preparing youths for the growing technology-driven economy.
At the graduation ceremony in Umuahia, Governor Alex Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a state where young people can develop successful careers without having to leave Abia in search of better opportunities.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, the governor said the initiative was designed to equip young people with practical digital skills that could open doors to employment, entrepreneurship and emerging opportunities in the technology sector.
He described investment in human capital as a foundation for sustainable development, urging the pioneer graduates to put their newly acquired knowledge to productive use and help other young people benefit from the programme.
Otti challenged the graduates to become ambassadors of digital learning in their communities by sharing their knowledge and multiplying the opportunities created through the initiative.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr David Kalu, said ThriveAbia was designed to go beyond conventional classroom training by providing participants with practical skills, mentorship and the professional competencies required to thrive in modern workplaces.
He urged the graduates to embrace the programme’s train-the-trainer model by mentoring other young people, sharing their expertise and helping future participants develop relevant digital skills.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the initiative formed part of the state government’s broader efforts to strengthen youth capacity and prepare young people for an economy increasingly shaped by technology.
For the beneficiaries, the programme represents an opportunity to apply their skills in their chosen professions, explore new career paths and compete for opportunities beyond their immediate communities.
Some of the graduates, including Miss Peace Nweke, Miss Chinaka Chiemela, Mr Godwin Ogbu and Miss Faith Oyelowo, expressed appreciation to the governor for investing in youth development.
They said the training and mentorship had equipped them with technological tools to improve their professional capabilities and opened up possibilities for accessing global opportunities.
The graduates also appealed to the state government to sustain the initiative and extend it to more young people across Abia.
The programme, organised by the state government in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, covered several technology fields, including User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) design, data analytics, coding, DevOps, cybersecurity, machine learning and artificial intelligence automation.
With digital skills increasingly relevant across industries, the initiative is intended to help young people position themselves for employment, develop technology-based businesses and contribute to the state’s economic growth.
The long-term impact of the programme will depend on the graduates’ ability to apply their training, access employment and business opportunities, and transfer their knowledge to other young people.
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