We aggressively seek collaborations that will benefit our students and also support our partners. This relationship with Mandilas Group is designed to be symbiotic-Dr. Abdul
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Lagos-The Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Engr. (Dr) Ibraheem Abdul, has said that the College’s unwavering commitment to producing industry-ready graduates, grounded in skills acquisition and character, defines the College ethics and values.
He noted this, during a high-level engagement and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the College and John Basil Mandilas Foundation at a forum that brought together academic leaders and industry experts.
The Rector who described the partnership as a milestone that aligns with the College’s core vision of empowering students with practical, market-relevant skills before graduation is never in doubt, the right step in the right direction. Abdul, however stressed, the collaboration will kick-start a structured HVAC-R (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) training programme through the Mandilas Modulus Academy, combining classroom instruction with hands-on industrial exposure, even as he pin pointed, as an institution, our vision is clear: by the time our students graduate, they must be fully trained, competent and confident to function in the world of work,
He explained that the selected students for the pilot phase would undergo one month of intensive classroom training followed by two months of industry-based practical experience, a structure he described as a model for bridging the gap between theory and practice.
The Rector further disclosed that YABATECH would add value to the partnership by providing certified quality assurance assessors who would help align the Modulus Academy curriculum with the National Skills and National Professional Skills Qualifications frameworks, ensuring global relevance and local compliance.
“We are intentional about partnerships,” he said. “Through our Centre for Linkages, Partnerships and International Relations and the Career Development Centre, we aggressively seek collaborations that will benefit our students and also support our partners. This relationship with Mandilas Group is designed to be symbiotic.”
The Executive Vice Chairman of Mandilas Trust Company Limited, Ola Ayo-Adeloye, described the partnership as a practical response to Nigeria’s urgent need for skills-driven education and sustainable industrial growth.
In her address, Ayo-Adeloye said the Memorandum of Understanding formally established the Mandilas Academy, a no-cost technical training initiative of the John Basil Mandilas Foundation, designed to deliberately close the gap between classroom learning and real-world industry practice.
“This collaboration is founded on a shared belief that education, when aligned with practical application, becomes one of the most powerful drivers of national development,” he said.
She noted that the Mandilas Academy was structured to complement YABATECH’s strong academic foundation by providing students with hands-on training, industry-aligned certifications and exposure to modern HVAC-R technologies, ensuring graduates are not only academically sound but confident, competent and workplace-ready.
Beyond technical competence, Ayo-Adeloye emphasised that the Academy would promote innovation in energy efficiency, sustainable cooling and environmentally responsible practices, areas she described as increasingly critical both globally and within Nigeria.
She explained that the collaboration offered multi-layered benefits: opening pathways to mentorship, practical experience and career opportunities for students; strengthening curriculum relevance and industry engagement for the institution; and delivering a skilled workforce capable of driving industrial growth, economic resilience and environmental sustainability for society at large.
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