The Knowledge Exchange Centre (KEC) is set to address the country’s high unemployment rate as 50 youths have graduated from its Graduate Advancement Programme (GAP).
The youths are the fourth batch of the graduate programme trained on relevant skills needed in the future workplace.
“What we have put the 50 graduates through in the three months programme is an important element to give them a head start in whatever they decide to do in the future,” said Charles Nwodo, chairman XL Africa Group and executive chairman of KEC, in his keynote address.
“The programme curriculum is designed in such a way that participants are provided the skills that they did not learn in schools,” Nwodo said.
“It is a very clearly taught out programme designed by XL Africa to address issues of unemployment in the country,” he added.
He noted that the programme would make a turning point in the lives of the graduates as it would help them achieve a fruitful career.
He appreciated the management of KEC for not succumbing to quality adulteration of the GAP curriculum, noting that every support would be provided to ensure the programme standout from other youth employment training initiatives in the country.
Nwodo also appreciated the sponsors for believing in the vision of KEC and for helping the critical issue of unemployment.
Read also: How Graduate Advancement Programme is empowering youths with skills for future work
Also speaking to graduates during the virtual ceremony, Aghogho Akporido, executive secretary, KEC, said that the programme, which was supposed to be a physical training session, was done virtually owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The selection process, training session, career counselling, and mentoring session and even in some cases, the internship for the 50 graduates was done virtually,” Aporido said.
He noted that the programme, which was extended to three months as opposed to the previous six weeks owing to the pandemic, had graduates from eight states in the country in attendance.
According to him, the programme received a total of 506 applications for the GAP Network batch 4, out of which 204 were shortlisted for an online interview and 50 candidates were given admission of which only 43 graduated.
He added that some of the participants got job offers in the middle of the programme which he noted had never happened before in the history of the initiative.
Samuel Ogunshola, a first-class graduate of Biochemistry from the Federal University of Akure and a participant of the programme, said he was unable to secure a job since graduating but had been able to secure an internship after graduating from the GAP programme.
He said that the programme had enabled most of them to have clarity as regards their careers.
Also speaking, Fahidat Gbadamosi, another participant of the programme, said she had learned skills that would help her thrive in the workplace.
“I was assigned to an employer and this is my first job experience. I was mentored and it has enabled me to build a valuable network I wouldn’t have had if I did not partake in the graduate programme,” she said.
The KEC is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of XL Africa Group.
