Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) has entered into a new industry partnership with the John Basil Mandilas Foundation aimed at equipping students with practical, job-ready technical skills, as concerns grow over the employability gap facing Nigeria’s graduates.
The collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), will deliver hands-on technical training to students through the newly launched Mandilas Academy, a no-cost skills development initiative focused on bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world industry practice.
The initiative reflects a growing recognition that traditional qualifications alone are no longer sufficient in a labour market increasingly driven by demonstrable skills.
The first phase of the programme will train students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), an area of rising demand across Nigeria’s construction, manufacturing, and energy sectors.
Under the arrangement, 75 students will be trained in phases, beginning with a cohort of 25 students already selected through an interview process. Participants will undergo one month of intensive classroom training at Yabatech, followed by two months of industry attachment, allowing them to apply technical knowledge in real work environments.
The approach aligns with Yabatech’s broader strategy of strengthening graduate employability by embedding practical skills into academic pathways. With over 36,000 students enrolled across about 90 programmes, the institution has increasingly leaned on industry partnerships to ensure its graduates are equipped for evolving workplace expectations.
According to Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology, the labour market now rewards ability over credentials.
“In today’s market, it is not about the certificates you carry, but about what you can do,” he noted, explaining the institution’s emphasis on field readiness rather than paper qualifications.
Beyond technical instruction, the Mandilas Academy is structured to expose trainees to industry standards, modern tools, and current technologies, particularly within the HVAC space. The programme also integrates themes such as energy efficiency, sustainable cooling solutions, and environmentally responsible practices, reflecting global shifts toward greener engineering and infrastructure systems.
From the industry side, the Mandilas Group is positioning the academy as part of a longer-term investment in Nigeria’s technical workforce. Delivered through the John Basil Mandilas Foundation and overseen by Mandilas Trust Company Limited (MTCL), the initiative forms part of the group’s legacy projects as it marks its 75th anniversary in Nigeria’s engineering services sector.
According to Ola Ayo-Adeloye, executive vice chairman of Mandilas Trust Company Limited, the academy is designed to complement academic instruction with hands-on exposure that better prepares students for the realities of the workplace.
“Education, when aligned with practical application, becomes one of the most powerful drivers of national development,” she said, adding that industry–academia collaboration is essential for building future-ready talent.
Yabatech plans to support the academy by aligning its curriculum with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) requirements and Nigeria’s National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). This would allow participants to earn certifications that assess what they can do, rather than simply what they have studied.
Such certifications and education are increasingly valued by employers both locally and internationally, particularly in technical and vocational fields where performance and safety standards are critical.
According to Mosud Ajala, director of Yabatech’s Centre for Linkages and Partnership, this alignment reflects a shift toward skills validation that improves labour mobility and employability.
“What the market now demands are competencies that can be tested and verified,” Ajala explained. “Even a narrowly defined technical skill, if properly assessed, can significantly improve a graduate’s chances in the job market.”
The programme also incorporates elements of workplace ethics, attitude, and life skills, recognising that employability extends beyond technical know-how. Yabatech has, in recent years, introduced courses focused on 21st-century skills to address gaps in communication, professionalism, and adaptability among graduates.
Welcoming the collaboration, Henrietta Adebola Badejo, registrar of Yaba College of Technology, described the partnership as a mutually beneficial model that supports both student development and industry needs.
“This is designed to be a symbiotic relationship,” she said, noting that the institution is committed to supporting partners with curriculum development and technical expertise.
While the current phase focuses on HVAC, both parties indicated that the programme could expand into mechanical, electrical, and other technical disciplines, depending on outcomes. If successful, the initiative could serve as a template for how industry-led training can be embedded within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to address persistent skills mismatches.
