Otu’s skills initiative: Skyrun employs 20, admits 40 trainees

A Chinese firm, Skyrun International, has employed all 20 graduates from its first two technical training programmes in Cross River.

Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River disclosed this at the presentation of employment letters to graduates of the firm’s six-month training programme on Wednesday in Calabar,

The company, with a manufacturing base at the Calabar Free Trade Zone, Cross River, also announced the admission of 40 additional youths for vocational training.

The programme, implemented under the Skills-in-the-Hands initiative of Gov. Bassey Otu, seeks to bridge the gap between technical education and employment through industry-based training.

Represented by Mr Bassey Bassey, the Chairman, Cross River House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development, Otu said that youth empowerment remained central to his administration’s development agenda.

He further said that his administration was moving beyond temporary financial assistance to provision of technical and entrepreneurial skills.

“We are interested in sustainable empowerment through market-relevant skills, enterprise development, and employment opportunities for youths.

“I commend Skyrun International for investing in Cross River’s local talents; this partnership demonstrates how private-sector collaboration can address unemployment and strengthen industrial capacity,” he stated.

Eno stated that the state government would prioritise patronage of Skyrun’s products in appreciation of its investment in Cross River youths.

For his part, Mr George Wu, Chairman of Skyrun International, said the company had created no fewer than 2,000 local jobs, with Nigerians accounting for about 95 per cent of the workforce.

Wu said that the company had invested in manufacturing facilities for air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and washing machines, with an annual production capacity of 500,000 units.

He said that Skyrun’s partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Cross River Government was designed to equip young Nigerians with technical and vocational competencies.

According to him, outstanding performers at the training will travel to China for further training because the company remains committed to developing local talent and expanding employment opportunities.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth Development and Skills Acquisition, Mr Udom-Ijom Ukam, disclosed that all 20 trainees from the first two batches secured automatic employment after completing their training.

Ukam said that the successful employment outcome informed the expansion of the programme to 40 trainees in the third batch.

He commended Otu for supporting the initiative and described the partnership as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to transforming youth potential into practical skills.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Isamoh Igaja, thanked the state government for the opportunity, saying, “we were intensively trained for six months on repairs of refrigerators, air conditioners and freezers by professionals in the field”