First group of graduates emerge from skills building program

Twenty-eight participants successfully graduated on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, after an intensive six-week entrepreneurial training program.  The event was held at GE Nigeria Headquarters, Mansard Place, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The GE Garages program which was created in the U.S. in 2012, and went global in 2014 with workshops and skills building pilot program at GE’s regional headquarters in Lagos.

During the program, participants were trained on the latest manufacturing technologies, using AutoCAD software, 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters in Nigeria’s first fully-functional fabrication lab. They learned and applied the core principles of design thinking, product development, finance, marketing,

sales, and customer acquisition to their ventures. The Garage also provided access to a robust mentorship network, supporting the participants with an aim to drive growth across all sectors of the economy.

At the graduation ceremony in Lagos, GE unveiled its partnership with the Dangote Foundation, which will evolve the Garage into a year-round series of skills building programs. The new expanded program is focused on nurturing Nigeria’s most promising entrepreneurs and inventors.

The Chairman and CEO of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who was in attendance, gave a speech expressing his support and embracing the partnership between GE and the Dangote Foundation. “My being here is to confirm and also tell you that we are very committed to this program as we have said in our discussions earlier on. What we discussed about actually was the standard for the program. So we are committed on the Dangote side, and also GE are very committed as well. I wish you all the very best,” he said.

In later remarks, Jay Ireland, the President and CEO of GE Africa, said: “My congratulations to all graduates. This is a program that we started in the U.S. and here also. Nigeria is the first place we are doing this, and we’re partnering as you heard, with Dangote Foundation and they’re building a center for us, as well as delivering the capabilities and training for us, and hopefully, kick start many people into their pursuits in business. We hope to expand this around Africa and continue to extend our footprints in Lagos, Nigeria.  We hope to see your successes soon, and you [graduates] can continue look to us for guidance and advice.”

Also speaking at the event, Vice-Chairman of GE, John Rice, said: “I just want to say how important this center is. The work you’re going to do and the value you will create will not just be for people here, but also because this is the context of what we want GE to be in the 21st century. We want to be a company that does more than just create jobs. We know we are expected to participate in the economy here in Nigeria or any other country that benefit from the jobs we create. But we want to be a company that does more than that.

“Any company can create jobs, but can any company help create entrepreneurs, that creates new businesses? Can any company create new products and new technology? And we think the answer for that is no. Not every company can do that. So our goal in Nigeria and in other places where we do business is to be the company that does that. That creates more than just jobs. And for us, to work in partnership with Dangote, and to work with you all, fits hand in glove with that aspiration. This is more than creating a job or job opportunities. It’s about creating new ideas, it’s about creating new entrepreneurs, it’s about creating businesses, all of which could come out of this effort. So, I just wanted to spend a minute to show you how this fits into the context of our strategy for GE, for the 21st century. Because that is what great global companies are actually good at – creating more than just jobs.”

The six weeks program was developed and run by the CEO of NeuBridges, Oluwadara Treseder, who also produced a video presentation of the participants to let them share their experiences with the assembled crowd of VIPs.

Certificates were given to the graduates, after which special guests and GE executives did a walk-through in the Garage to inspect the equipment, learn about the prototypes, and speak with the participants.