The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has kicked off its summer skills acquisition camp in Abuja, offering secondary school students practical training in masonry, plumbing, tiling, painting, and interior design at the School of Architectural Technicians Scheme (SATS). The programme, organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, is designed to inspire and equip young Nigerians with the technical and creative skills needed to shape the country’s built environment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ahmed Dangiwa, represented by the Director and Head of Public Buildings and Housing Development, Pemi Temitope, praised the initiative as a forward-looking investment. “We are investing in the future workforce of Nigeria,” he said. “The true foundation of national development is not merely in bricks and mortar, but in the hands that mould them, the minds that design them, and the skills that sustain them.”
Dangiwa explained that the Federal Government’s recent inclusion of 15 compulsory skills into basic education was a deliberate move to bridge the skills gap. “It is a declaration that every Nigerian child must be equipped not only with theoretical knowledge but with practical, employable skills that foster self-reliance and national productivity,” he noted.
ARCON President Dr. Dipo Ajayi described the camp as a milestone for the profession and the education sector. “While this camp may seem like a small step as a pioneer edition, it is a giant leap towards making skill acquisition a mainstream component of our educational and professional development landscape,” he said. “Our vision is for this centre to evolve into a hub of excellence, where hard and soft skills are built, relevant research conducted, and cross-fertilisation of ideas thrives to advance Nigeria’s built environment.”
Also speaking at the event, Mohammed Sule expressed ARCON’s pride in contributing to the national goal of producing a skilled and innovative workforce. “Through this initiative, we are sowing seeds that will empower the next generation of professionals, innovators, and responsible citizens,” he said, adding that similar camps will be replicated across all geopolitical zones in the country.
