In its bid to build and create capacity for the development of after-school skill for student, The Polytechnic Ibadan, through the Poly Consult has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Capricorn Concierge Tourism Services Limited to promote domestic tourism in Nigeria.
The partnership bid which was concluded recently at the executive chamber of the Polytechnic Ibadan, activate a broader consciousness of the need to not only explore but also create an avenue to close the skill gap in the country through the low hanging value chain of domestic tourism.
Poly Consult and Capricorn Concierge have agreed that the students on both full and part-time basis shall receive the training.
The general objectives are updating the trainees knowledge on how to develop their communities by engaging in domestic tourism business activities and starting to earn responsible income.
The programme offers the certificate that provides a basis for promotion of domestic tourism as well as facilitates the exchange of knowledge between the two institutions. The MoU also ensures that the certificate awarded will be of the same quality and standard with the one awarded in the polytechnic Ibadan.
In his opening remarks at the signing of the MoU, the Executive Director of Capricorn Concierge Tourism, Mr Ibitayo Araoye, said the programme is a three-month empowerment session that would be running concurrently as a professional course and that the course is designed in a way to provide sustainable jobs for students after the completion of the courses.
According to him, the partnership is focused on empowering thousands of jobless youths through the value chain of the domestic tourism within the first year.
“The programme will not only enlighten, encourage, expose and empower, but also engage the unemployed on how to start earning sustainable income in the tourism industry as well as income generation.
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Araoye disclosed that Capricorn Concierge Tourism Services, which is registered with the Corporate Affairs Corporation (CAC), the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Oyo State Tourism Board, adding that “the company is into the promotion and development of domestic tourism, using virtual apparatus.
When initiative was conceptualised, we discovered that there are many hindrances in reaching some of the beautiful sites in Nigeria due to the security challenges. We then decided to develop a better way to bring the sites to the people is doorstep pending when the security problem subsides; and we see virtual tourism as a trend to bridge the gap.
The MoU, on the part of Polyconsult, includes making provision for a furnished project office, funds for adverts and promotions, project promotion, provision of project website, printing of hard copies and provision of classroom. Others include project supervision and monitoring, prompt recruitments, collection of payments and issuance of certificates
On the flipside, Capricorn Concierge will be responsibly for Designing of the Empowerment training programme, provision of the course content, provision of virtual reality domestic tourism gadgets, training the trainers, Training, Supervision and Monitoring of Trainees, Project supervision and Reports.
Others involve empowerment of trainees, professional advice and business plans development, Joint Projects promotion, Management of website and social media accounts, among other statutory agreement enshrined in the MoU.
In his speech, the General Manager, The Poly Ventures Ltd, a business arm of The Polytechnic Ibadan., Mr Remi Babalola, explained that the venture is mandated to train people on short-term programme through seminars and workshops. He added that the programme also runs Advanced Certificate, Ordinary and Higher Diploma either by itself or in conjunction with any other institutions across the globe.
Babalola explained that the partnership bid with Capricorn Concierge Tourism Services is based on developing the business of domestic tourism in the country through professional, practical and hands-on training and certification up to diploma adding that the programme is capable of empowering the youth and bringing the business of tourism to the limelight in Nigeria.
“The partnership will create employment opportunities, promote tourism and boost our economy by developing the neglected tourism sector, saying that the opportunity derived from tourism is enormous that one could hardly exhaust it.
He urged Nigerians and government at all levels to work together and harness the potential of tourism to boost the economy.
A member of the Poly Ibadan Governing Council, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, said the poly ventures is ready to support anything that could positively influence the society.
“We shall seriously encourage anything that will make the partnership work.
“I want to thank you for considering the Polytechnic Consult worthy of partnership and I want to assure you that anything that will make the partnership bid work, we shall seriously uphold it.
Also, Mr Rotimi Ayetan, the South-West Coordinator of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), commended the partnership, saying it will go a long way to impact the students’ lives and promote tourism.
Ayetan, who gave a brief insight on the impact of tourism to the society also commended the move by the management of the Poly Consult, describing its initiative a step in the right direction to upscale the curriculum of the Polytechnic Ibadan as one of the visionary institutions taking the lead in domestic tourism.
The dignitaries at the event include representatives of the Oyo State Government, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism and other stakeholders.
In his remarks, the Public Releations Officer of the institution, Chief Adewole Soladoye, who was elated by the initiative, said the institution has the structure to make the dream a reality, and commended the management of the virtual domestic tourism promoting company for considering the Polytechnic worthy partner in the capacity and job creation programme.
Also the former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, who stood in for the special adviser on Tourism, Culture and Arts to Governor of Oyo State, Chief Ademola Ige, gave kudos to the management of Polytechnic Ibadan for the giant strides to making domestic tourism development and promotion a mainstay in the ‘s curriculum.
Ojo-Lanre, who eulogised the institution for its unique approach towards the exploring the content of tourism value chain, said the initiative will help to develop human capacity which the industry lacks while creating new employment and employers of labour for the industry.
