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SKILL ACQUISITION AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT: (A STUDY OF NIGERIA ASSOCIATION OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIALIST UDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE)

1.1     Background of the Study

The need to incorporate in our system the need to be technologically self-reliant cannot be over-emphasized. The first step is to develop our human and natural resources, thus increasing our per capital income. In the past seven years, or more, especially during the administration of Ibrahim Babangide, Nigeria has constantly pursued an economic policy that is geared towards self-reliance for the individual as shown  by such programmes as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) which is a graduate assistance scheme aimed at helping young school leavers to acquire necessary skills and funds that will help them to start their own business, other programmes with such mission include the people bank, family economic advancement programme (FEAP) and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI).

The entrepreneur and his activities forms an integral part in the development of our economy. At this point, it becomes pertinent to define who is an entrepreneur and why we are having an insight into this plight to actualize the aim aims and objectives of its existence.

Ike J.O (2014: 32) defined an entrepreneur as an individual who is willing and able to take business risks for gainful purpose”. Despite the aspirations of many, only a few people in this country and indeed Enugu our place of centralization has carried out their intention of having business established by them. Studies have been shown that 90% of these who seriously decided to incorporate a company five or more years ago have not yet done so. In Enugu State our emphasis will concentrate on the Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI) Enugu State Chapter, formed in 1978 owing to the creation of Engu State in 1991, the Enugu office was established in the state, thus tries to uplift the status of this sector. The NASSI has its chapter in all the seventeen (17) Local Government Area of the State aimed at inculcating into our society, the spirit of owing and controlling business at the grass root level, to facilitate the much desired self-reliance on our locally made goods and services, self-reliance on the national economy as shown in the policies of banning the importation of certain goods into this country, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which among other things aims at sourcing of our own raw materials for the industries locally, though many see it as our attempt to self-reliance. Based on the indigenization policy that brought into existence, The Nigerian Enterprise Promotion Decree of 1992, which aims at encouraging and giving Nigerian the Skill and knowledge to own and  control their own business. Although all the aims and objectives of this dream has not come to fruition, since about 75% of Nigerians and indeed in Enugu has not realized their dreams of owing and controlling a business of their choice (Ogbuefi, 2015).

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Skills acquisition is aimed at providing self employment opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians. However, this has not been effectively achieved in Nigeria because of the following: The statement of this research work include the following:

1. What effect does entrepreneurship skill acquisitions has on the overall employments of youths in Udi L.G.A?
2. How has the various entrepreneurship skill acquisitions helped in youth employment in Enugu State?
3. What are the various problems militating against entrepreneurship development in Enugu State, and what are the possible solutions to the problem?

1.3     Research Questions

In the course of this research, the following questions was generated for analysis.

1. To what extent does skill acquisition lead to youth employment in Udi L.G.A. for Enugu State?
2. To what extent has the various skill acquisition programs helped in youth employment in Enugu State?
3. What are the problems militating against skill acquisition in Udi Local Government Enugu state?

1.4     Purpose of the Study

The need to develop skill acquisition in the Nigerian economy cannot be over-emphasized, because of this research includes the following:

1. To examine the effect of skill acquisition on the youth employment in Udi L.G.A. for Enugu State.
2. To identify the various skill acquisition programs that have helped in youth employment in Enugu State.
3. To identify the problems militating against skill acquisition in Udi Local Government Enugu state.

1.5     Significance of the Study

All aspects of this research work will be relevant or important to members of the society.

It will be beneficial to public sector organizations, individuals, corporate bodies in the state. Also it will be of vital importance to government, academically potential and future researcher on the issue of skill acquisition and youth employment.

This empirical is also germane to the researcher since it is partial requirement for the award of higher national diploma in Public Administration and Management.

1.6     Scope of the Study

This work centers on skill acquisition and youth employment in Enugu State, using Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1.7     Limitation  of the Study

The major limitations of this research study is

1. Financial Constraints: Inability to raise some enough money posed a major threat to the success of this project to carry out this work as there are those imminent problems asking for serious attention.
2. Lack of Initial Co-Operation for Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondents refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contracted. This contribute in making the success of this research study difficult.

• Lack of Organized and Easily Accessible Materials: Materials used in the making of this research work were not easily accessible as few books are on the topic under study.

1. Inability to Control Response of Respondents with Respect to Trueness or Falseness: Many of the staff was not willing to respond to the interviews and questionnaire. While some did not show the willingness to respond, other who did very reluctant thereby making it difficult to ascertain the trueness or falseness of their responses.

1.8     Operationalization /Definition of Terms

1. Depressed Economy: This is an economy where mostly economic and social activities are made to be less active, or sad without enthusiasm.
2. Scholar: Scholar is a person who studies an academic subject and knows a lot about it.
3. Poised: These means when an individual is ready or set to take action or strike something any moment in time.

1.9     Organization of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters: Chapter one talks about the introduction of the research problem as well as the state of the problem etc. chapter Two reviews the related literature on the research work. Chapter three examines the methodology used in carrying out the research work. Chapter four presents and analyzes  the data collected from the secondary source through questionnaire, chapter five summarizes the findings from the examined data.