Members of the Tyres Technician Association of Nigeria have paid a courtesy visit to the management team of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen with a view to renewing and consolidating their relations with the institutions in the area of training and certifying of its members.
Edo State President of the body, Comrade Uyi Guobadia renewed the call when led executive and members of the board of trustees of the association on the visit.
Comrade Guobadia, who is also the national chairman of the association, thanked the institution for honouring their request, regardless of the short notice.
He recalled that they were at the Edo State Polythecnic three years back with a proposal to the polytechnic to help in training its members on the latest techniques in the vulcanisation profession.
“Three years back, we were here. We brought up a proposal that the vulcanizing profession is a profession that has to do with life. And we also saw it that being a technical job and we have a technical school in the state, while not create a collaboration with the school.
“We also know too well that some of our members have been in the profession for years. But regardless of that,, there is always room for training and retraining. Even those in the white-collar sector go for seminars and workshops to upgrade themselves, advance themselves, and reawaken their memories.
“So a job of ours, which is of most importance to the movement of goods, lives, and properties, also falls under that,” he stated.
While noting that a man can choose not to own a car for a lifetime, Guobadia maintained that one cannot, however, choose not to board a car.
“And that car rely on tyres, and the tyres are being manned. And this subsector of this workforce, the ones that manage the tyre, are being looked at as ordinary, never to do well. So are you going to put your safety and the safety of the occupants and goods in the hands of a never do well man, a man that never went through training and wasn’t certified?
“And we said fine, we would come to you so that we could also upgrade to international best practices, as they are obtained outside the shores of Nigeria. We also saw it fit to come back here so that we would know where and where to start from., before we can take a memo to the state assembly, to make it compulsory for all vulcanizers to go through training.
“We cannot shut them down completely, but we can say 12 hours training twice a week for 4 weeks.” he further stated.
Receiving members of the Tyre Technicians Association, the rector of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Engr. Sylvester Omoruyi appreciated them for their interest in improving on their knowledge.
He recalled that the body had visited the institution in the past, stating that various discussions were made on how the polytechnic and the association could collaborate and ensure that members were not only trained but also certified.
“We are not saying everything must be done hundred percent, but just like you said, we can start from somewhere. We talked about giving technical and practical training and certification. You would earn a certificate that would be equavalent to the one someone who went through the polythecnic would obtained,” the Edo Poly rector stated.
He recalled they discussed that the polythecnic would handle the theoretical aspect of the training while some tyre technicians who are very skilled would assist in the practical aspect of the training.
While noting that thirty percent of the training would be theoretical and seventy percent practical, Engr. Omoruyi expressed the believe that the collaboration being sought by the tyre technicians would ensure that the roads are safer.
“Once people are trained, the road would be safe, because it doesn’t matter how efficient a car may be, it does matter how skilled the driver may be, if the tyres are not guaranteed, you are just on your own.
“We are very much willing to collaborate with your association. It will be a thing of joy for us if this is birthed in Edo State,” the Edo Poly rector concluded.
