…sets sights on unemployment reduction
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has announced plans to empower 500 young graduates with skill acquisition training to provide the state’s youths with the necessary skills to thrive in the competitive job market, promoting entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency in a bid to combat unemployment in the state.
This initiative, tagged: “Omituntun 2.0 Enterprise Skills For Youth Development,” aims to equip young graduates between the ages of 22 and 25 years with practical skills that are in demand within the local economy with a move to engender self-reliance and reducing dependency on government jobs.
The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in the state, Miss Wasilat Adegoke, gave the hint at a press briefing on Tuesday, held at the Governor’s Office Press Conference Room.
According to her, entry requirements for the programme are Bachelor of Science (BSc.), Higher National Diploma (HND) and the training would hold at designated centres across the five geo-political zones in the state.
The commissioner, who stated that applicants are expected to fill their personal and academic details on a designated online application portal, noted that the website would be unveiled immediately through the official social media pages of the Ministry.
She emphasised the importance of providing practical solutions to unemployment challenges, other sporting activities, saying: “Our focus is not just on creating jobs but on empowering our youths to create jobs for themselves and others.”
The commissioner equally stated that with the even spread of the opportunity, 15 young graduates will be selected from each local government across the 33 local government areas in the state to commence the empowerment and skill acquisition programme.
She noted further that the selected beneficiaries will undergo comprehensive training in various specialised skills such as the arts of writing business proposals/tips for successful interview to boost their employability, entrepreneurship and skill acquisition, financial/business management and sustenance, leadership skills and mentorship, among others.
“Consequently, beneficiaries would undergo compulsory six month period of on the job mentorship in their chosen areas of businesses for proper monitoring of their development process,” she disclosed.
The Commissioner noted that the training has been designed to be hands-on and tailored to the needs of the local market, adding that upon completion of the training programme, each graduate will receive a starter pack containing essential tools and equipment necessary to start their own businesses in their respective fields.
“Youths in the state have been clamouring for this and accusing my office and this administration of concentrating on sporting activities alone neglecting the youth development aspect.”
“I thank God today we are implementing a mega Youth Empowerment Programme where 15 youths would be picked from all the 33 local Government Areas to be trained,” the commissioner stressed.