Canon partners Yabatech on printing academy, donates N23m digital imaging machine

Multinational imaging and camera manufacturer, Canon, has donated a Canon ‘850’ Series Digital Imaging Machine worth N23 million to Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos to improve printing education in the institution.

It was reported that the company also inaugurated the Canon Printing Academy called ‘MIRAISHA’ in the Department of Printing Technology in the college.

Speaking at the inauguration on Monday, Canon Representative, Matthew Kelvin, said the printing academy would help in developing skills and building future livelihoods through the use of canon’s core imaging skills.

Kelvin, who also oversees the group’s business in developing regions, said the initiative would use Canon knowhow, history and technology to develop core skills of students and professional printers.

“We are looking at using canon’s core imaging skills and knowhow to help people in order to develop future livelihoods across the market which we operate.

“This is the key part of our partnership with Yaba College of Technology; we are looking to help professional printers and especially students that are looking to enter into the professional printing industry.

“We are looking to use Canon knowhow and history and technology in order to develop their core skills.

“These are skills that they will then learn and use in future jobs and will help them to gain an advantage in the market place.

“And also to help pass on this knowledge to the entire Nigeria print industry.

“We have made a donation of professional print hardware to the college, which will be available for the students to use outside of the training to really own their digital printing skills over the next few years,” he said.

Kelvin said the company would start immediately by training students and staff on how to use digital software and hardware in order to develop good strong colour management skills.

He said the initiative was a three-year partnership with the college and looking forward to developing it further.

According to him, the company has allocated two trainers to take the various classes and will also bring in new experts in 2020 and 2021.

“We will always have specialist that will come to share knowledge and educate the students in Yabatech, there will be people coming from Europe.

“We want this training to be part of the curriculum of Yabatech for the printing department and we will be giving certification afterwards to the students.

“The college is giving out the space, time, resources, securing the traffic to ensure we have large number of attendees in this training,” he said.

Mr Obafemi Omokungbe, Rector of the college, commended Canon for selecting Yabatech as the first institution in West Africa to have the machine.

According to the rector, the ‘850’ Series Digital Imaging Machine is the latest technology in printing and will further enhance the teaching of printing technology in the college.

He said the equipment would expose students of the college to the current trend in the printing world, thereby giving them seamless transition from the class to the industry.

“I am particularly happy to receive our friends and partners, the Canon Central and North Africa, the original manufacturer and leader in the fields of professional and consumer image equipment and information systems to the college.

“Yaba College of Technology is the first tertiary institution and the first institution to establish department of printing in Nigeria.

“It is also heart-warming that Yabatech is the first institution to receive this special donation by Canon in the whole of West Africa.

“We are indeed very grateful to Canon for this honour,” the rector said.

Omokungbe said that it was no longer a secret that the government could no longer solely fund education in view of the sharp reduction in its revenue and increasing higher demand for education.

He said in 2017/2018 session, the printing department was commissioned to print examination materials and by this singular act, the college was able to save over N30 million.

“The department has since been open to commercial purpose.

“It is now the duty of all the institutions to therefore improve on their internally generated fund for sustainability

“On our part, we assure the management of the Canon that all your thoughts altogether will be realised through this avenue,” he said.

Dr Kunle Adeyemi, Dean, School of Art, Design and Printing, said the training was an opportunity for students to access enhanced contemporary digitalised training to develop and improve their skills and interact with professionals.

He said 65 staff from the Art, Mass Communication and Library departments have being selected to commence training on the use of the machine.

He said with the donation, Canon has shown clearly that it is a trusted partner in the transformational growth of Africa.

“Today, our relationship with the industry is bearing fruits in the supreme interest of the college, and we are happy about this feat.

“I am very delighted that my students from the school of Art, Design and Printing will benefit from the training to be provided by Canon experts in the professional printing industry,” he said.