Lagos State commissioner for wealth creation and employment, Yetunde Arobieke has encouraged the youth population (especially the unemployed) to learn skills relevant to job opportunities as certificate alone no longer guarantee employment
Arobieke during an online mindset re- orientation workshop organised by her ministry, with the theme “surviving the times, the future of the job the new normal for unemployed graduates in the state.”
The commissioner said developments in the world of work have made it imperative for job seekers to develop themselves beyond the certificates they possess, adding that there is a need, therefore, for a new approach to job search.
Citing as example the Covid-19 pandemic which has changed the nature of jobs globally, the state commissioner said “it is imperative for young graduates to harness the opportunity of the Covid-19 to rethink and restrategise on how to cope with the future of works.”
According to Arobieke, producing graduates with relevant employable skills is important because the labour market has become a lot more competitive, with employers now looking for people who are flexible and have the ability to undertake multiple tasks with little or no supervision.
In this regard, the commissioner said her ministry was regularly partnering recruitment agencies to prepare young graduates for employment opportunities by enhancing their job interview skills and impact job hunting strategies to give them an edge over their contemporaries.
She noted that academic certificates alone were not enough to gain formal job employment without relevant skills as this makes the job seeker an asset and not liability to the employer.
“The current model of education, career planning and job searching need a face-lift considering the dynamism in the global labour market. Graduates need to learn new rules. This requires being proactive and strategic in thinking,” she said.
Permanent secretary in the ministry, Boladele Dapo-Thomas, who expressed confidence in the capacities of resource persons for the workshop, urged the graduates to utilise the information from the training to chart a new course for their career.
One of the resource persons at the online orientation event, Damilola Sonayon James spoke on the topic: ‘Can my mind be changed? And why certificate isn’t a guarantee for employment.”
The facilitator advised the young graduates to leverage on their gifts and talent to bridge the unemployment margin by becoming entrepreneurs rather than pursuing white-collar jobs always.
Another resource person, Adekumbi Oyelade, who spoke on personal development, career and job hunting, advised the participants to plan their career with precision while navigating through different job options which will set them on the path of success.
In her own presentation, Viviana Bamgboye, another facilitator informed the graduates of the need to develop behavioural and technical competencies to secure a lucrative job.
