Increasing numbers of school leavers in Dutse, Jigawa, are turning to tailoring apprenticeships as limited job opportunities push youths toward skills acquisition.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited tailoring workshops across the metropolis observed that many young men and women were learning the trade.
The correspondent noted that the apprentices preferred acquiring practical skills rather than remaining unemployed while searching for scarce white-collar employment opportunities.
Some apprentices who spoke with NAN said tailoring had renewed their hope, confidence and determination to become self-reliant through entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
Khadija Bello, one of them, said she joined a tailoring workshop after spending months searching unsuccessfully for employment opportunities.
“I realised I could not continue waiting endlessly for a job. Learning tailoring is giving me a skill that I can use to earn a living and even establish my own business in the future,” she said.
Bello added that although the training required patience and dedication, she was determined to complete her apprenticeship and become a professional tailor.
Globacom leads Nigeria’s internet subscriber growth in May
Yusuf Abubakar, another apprentice, said tailoring had become a viable alternative for many school leavers facing unemployment challenges after completing their education.
“I completed my education and expected to secure a job quickly, but things did not work out that way. Instead of staying idle, I decided to learn tailoring,” he said.
“I now understand different aspects of garment making, and I believe this skill will provide a steady source of income,” Abubakar added.
Also, Nafisa Muhammad described tailoring as a profession that offered opportunities for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship within the growing fashion industry.
According to her, the increasing demand for quality clothing had created opportunities for skilled tailors capable of producing attractive and durable garments.
“People wear clothes every day, and there will always be demand for tailoring services. Once I finish my training, I hope to open my own shop and employ others,” she said.
Muhammad, however, appealed to government and development partners to support apprentices with sewing machines and start-up capital upon completion of their training.
Also speaking, Saudat Nura said learning a vocational skill had restored her confidence despite the difficulties associated with unemployment among young people.
She said many youths had begun appreciating skills acquisition as a practical pathway toward economic empowerment and personal development.
“Not everyone can secure government or private sector jobs immediately after school. Vocational training gives us another opportunity to build our future with dignity,” Nura said.
Nura urged fellow school leavers not to look down on vocational trades, stressing that many successful entrepreneurs started their journeys as apprentices.
Meanwhile, tailoring shop owners told NAN that they had recorded an increase in young people seeking apprenticeship opportunities, attributing the trend to unemployment challenges.
Mr brahim Idris, a tailor in Dutse ultramodern market, linked the development to growing awareness of the benefits of skills acquisition among youths seeking sustainable livelihoods.
“We have recorded an increase in the number of young people seeking apprenticeship over the past year.
“Many are committed to learning the trade and becoming independent,” he said.
He said greater investment in vocational education, affordable equipment and financial assistance would strengthen youth entrepreneurship and reduce dependence on scarce formal employment opportunities across Jigawa.
Idris expressed optimism that the development would contribute to reducing youth unemployment and promoting self-employment among young people in the state.
(NAN)
