LAUTECH Students Explore Opportunities For Life ‘Beyond The School Walls’

Adjusting to life after school is no easy task for fresh university graduates, particularly, in Nigeria, with the myriad of economic challenges. There are limited numbers of jobs in the market and very stiff competition for them.

This plight is explained by recent data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which reveals that the level of unemployment in the country as at the fourth quarter of 2016 rose to 14.9 percent -- the highest jobless rate since 2009.

How then can one survive and, hopefully, thrive in the ‘big bad world’ beyond the four walls of the university campus? This was the question social empowerment group Youth for Social Impact (YSI) set out to answer at their maiden conference ‘Beyond the School Walls’ held at 250 Lecture Theatre in LAUTECH Ogbomoso campus.

Over 300 students attended the conference which was graced by an array of high-brow speakers including the President of Computer Village, Ikeja, Mr Ahmed Ojikutu; Education Psychologist, Dr Isiaka Ojo; Missionary and Career coach, Dr Oludare Mark; Agro-business owner, Mr Ugochukwu Amadi; and several others.

During his address, Mr Ojikutu urged the students to “strive to be self-employed” as a way of “breaking the chains of unemployment among youths in the country.”

Dr Oludare, on the other hand, emphasized the need for mentorship and prayers in order to thrive beyond school. He also advised the students to “participate actively in politics,” as that seems to be “the only channel through which youths can wrestle power from the older generation.”

The other speakers buttressed the need for developing a reading and writing culture and the importance of gathering experience before starting up a business.

In an interview with the Union of Campus Journalists, the Convener of YSI, Miss Ashimi Aisha, explained that the initiative for the conference was birthed in order to impact youths, positively, and also to emphasize the importance of not depending on certificates and qualifications alone.

She added: “The goal is to encourage youths to acquire skills and develop their God-given talents.”

Reporting by Zahra, Editing by Sammie, For Union of Campus Journalists, LAUTECH.
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