The University of Benin has launched a new vocational training initiative captioned “Fundamentals of Automobile Service and Periodic Maintenance Training Programme”.
The training is organised by the University’s Vocational and Technical Training Programme (VTTP), a strategic effort under the transformational leadership of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Edoba B. Omoregie, SAN.
The Programme represents a key step in the actualisation of one of the pillars of the Vice Chancellor’s Five-Point Agenda, which is to transform the university into a hub for capacity building and vocational training. It reflects the University’s commitment to producing graduates who are not only academically sound but also technically competent and industry-ready.
This phase of the training is specifically designed for undergraduate engineering students. Participants will be exposed to essential concepts and hands-on practices in automobile servicing, diagnostics, and periodic maintenance, delivered by experienced facilitators and industry practitioners.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Programme, the Vice Chancellor emphasised that “the future of higher education in Nigeria lies in skill integration – a system where academic learning is complemented with vocational and technical skills. This initiative is designed to empower our students with employability skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to prepare them for the realities of the modern workplace. We want our students to acquire practical abilities that empower them to be self-employed, establish thriving enterprises, and become job creators.”
The Vocational and Technical Training Programme (VTTP) is established as a strategic platform to promote technical education, artisanal capacity building, and entrepreneurship across disciplines. It represents the University’s proactive response to Nigeria’s national drive toward skills development and youth empowerment.
The Programme emphasizes UNIBEN’s resolve to bridge the gap between theory and practice, aligning with global trends in experiential learning and workforce readiness. It further demonstrates the University’s leadership in fostering partnerships and initiatives that drive innovation, self-reliance, and industrial relevance.
The coordinator of VTTP, Professor Andrew Amenaghawon, thanked the Vice Chancellor for his forward-thinking approach to leadership and for providing the enabling environment to host such a transformational initiative.
