The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has introduced the Lady Chauffeur Training Scheme (LCTS) in Imo, aimed at training female drivers to meet the demands of the labour market.
The State Coordinator of the Directorate, Mr Roy Isaac, disclosed this on Thursday in Owerri, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Isaac said that the training which would last for two months was to empower some Nigerian unemployed females, so that they could be self-employed.
He said, “Driving as a career is predominantly dominated by men, women are considered to be caring, reliable, honest and courteous.
“Their cheerful disposition coupled with driving skills will easily earn the trust and confidence of their clients.''?
The state coordinator emphasised that the scheme would be replicated in other states of the federation.
He said that the training was one of the vocational skills acquisitions that would be imparted through the instrumentality of the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (B-NOAS).
According to him, the NDE will liaise with the state government, non–governmental organisations (NGOs) and public spirited individuals for sponsorship of the programme.
Isaac said that NDE would use Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) accredited driving institutes in the state for the practical training.
He said that the trainees would receive monthly stipends for the duration of the training, as well as some training fees.
He stressed that the beneficiaries would receive certificates from NDE and the institute at the end of the programme. (NAN)