In its continued bid to positively impact its host communities, Lafarge Africa Plc, has concluded arrangements to empower indigenes of its operating areas.
To this end, 15 youths from Ogun, Gombe and Cross River states have been enrolled in the maiden Cement Professional Technician Programme (CPTP) to train youths in the cement manufacturing process.
The three-year all-expenses-paid residential programme includes training in mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and automation technology, cement manufacturing process and entrepreneurship. The selected youths will receive practical and theoretical training at Lafarge Africa’s state-of-art centres and plants in Ashaka, Ewekoro, Mfamosing (Calabar) and Sagamu. Participants who successfully complete the training will be offered automatic employment within Lafarge Africa.
The Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development Director of Lafarge Africa, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, said the initiative will increase the local content of Lafarge’s operations in the country and also bridge the skills gap in the cement industry.
She explained that the programme is in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Consultative Assembly (NECA); the certificate awarded after the programme is accredited by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and is valid for admission into any Nigerian university.
Ambrose-Medebem, who represented the Lafarge Africa’s Country CEO, Michel Puchercos, noted that the Cement Professionals Training programme is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative hinged on the firm’s five pillars of health, safety, education, infrastructure as well as clean environment.
Shedding more light on the programme, the Health & Safety Director, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Graeme Bride, noted that the selected youths will be trained to imbibe the culture of “Safety First” as it operates in any Lafarge facility.
