Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Yaba, Lagos, and Choice International Group (CIG) has reviewed the existing partnerships between the parties, for expansion and strengthening ties, as the CIG twenty-five (25) sponsored college students to China, has gotten additional three million naira in their ongoing training.
This was disclosed by the management of the institution during a courtesy visit paid to the college by the Chairman, Group Executive Officer CIG and Vice Chairman, China-Africa Business Council, Chief Diana Ajoke Chen at the Council Chamber of the institution.
The partnership centrally focused on the initiatives of the nine projects proposed at the Forum of China-Africa cooperation on capacity building projects and humanistic exchange project, open up new prospects for China-Africa cooperation, help Africa cultivate urgently needed talents, help build and upgrade schools in Africa, implement future of Africa – a project for China-Africa cooperation on vocational education, the Management detailed.
It was noted however that the partnership revolved Hangzhou Vocational and Technical College (HTVC), Yabatech, Choice International Investment Company Limited and CIG Motors Company Limited for implementation under “Silk Road College” which shall serve as an educational and learning center for international exchanges, with the likes of students, vocational and professional trainings, faculty training and academic research, in order to facilitate capacity building, cultural communication, mutual information accessibility and talent sharing between China and Nigeria.
The twenty-five beneficiary students from the School of Engineering of the college, undergoing a year and half course in HVTC, China, were said by the college to have proven themselves outstandingly with excellent academic performances and extra-curricular activities engaged by HTVC.
One of the students won a bronze medal at China International College Students Innovation Competition and are all preparing for another world-class competition in collaboration with China schools, HVTC, and Yabatech.
Apart from the scholarship given by Chief Diana Foundation and the school, which the twenty-five students are beneficiaries, five of them won additional scholarships, worthy of $2 million and another one won a million dollar of that prize in academic competitions. The group leader of the 25 students, was given an ambassadorial status of CIG Motors for displaying leadership qualities.
On academic performance, the students proved themselves excellently with twenty, having grade points ranging from 4.5 to 4.3 and others have 4.2 to 3.7 grade points as the minimum while the total grade point is 4.5. They can all communicate in Chinese language fluently while also mastering the learning of Kung Fu and Tai Chi.
In her address to the management, Chief Diana Chen disclosed that her conglomerates will henceforth be employing two hundred (200) fresh graduates of the college every year as her plan for the seventy-eight years old institution.
Tracing the relationship with the college, she said that the partnership with her organization started from year 2022 and till date almost 96 students are already working with CIG through internship progress while 30% of those students are retained.
She called for immediate implementation of new 30 students of the college to be sponsored on scholarship for exchange students’ programmes as soon as the present twenty-five students in China return in November, this year.
The chairman, GAC Motors, however, gave automatic employment to two students who drew her life picture while the meeting was going on with that of her colleague. The concerned students, both from the School of Art, Design and Printing for their spontaneous creativity.
The rector, Yabatech, Engr. (Dr) Ibraheem Abdul, in his response canvassed for the expansion of the partnership to accommodate the setting up of industry-based laboratories in the college as existing in institutions in China, designed to service the needs of the industries towards bridging the gap between the town and gown and also producing industry ready graduates.
According to him, “the laboratories if replicated in the college with the same facilities in the industry will enhance the training of students, as most of the laboratories put up by institutions does not meet the needs of the industry; hence the essence for expanding our collaboration”.
The college, he said, is ready to provide space, laboratories and workshops that can be used to facilitate the exchange of training, while also training students that are not of the college by running the laboratories as a business center for income generation.
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