Youths have been charged of the need to embrace skills and vocational education to ensure competent need based graduates in the industries as a way to drastically reduce the growing level of unemployment among youths in the southwest states.
This charge was made today at a one – day stakeholders’ summit organized by Odu’a Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ODUACCIMA) in partnership with the West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE) with the theme, “Post Covid-19 Rethinking Talents: Rewiring the Education to Employment.”, an event held in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital and was attended by employers, educators and policymakers.
While speaking at the event, the President of ODUACCIMA, Chief Kola Akosile disclosed that the summit was informed by the need to address the level of unemployment in the region as the group was disturbed about the increasing number of graduates churned out yearly without required skills needed for corresponding jobs.
He said, “We are trying to close rank between the stakeholders’ as we have observed the unpalatable trend of unemployment among the youths in the region and we are here to set the necessary machineries in place to address the high rate of unemployment.
“This event has been done in each of the South West states under the ODUA region from Ekiti, Ondo, Osun and now Ogun State.”
We are doing this as a way to take this message down to the states so as to engage the critical stakeholders’ of why it’s necessary for youths to embrace need – based skills expected to help them perform effectively on the jobs aside the overated formal education.”
On her part, the representative of West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE), Ruth David reiterated the need to rework and rewire education to ensure effective employments.
She stressed further on the need for the youths to place more emphasis on ways to acquire skills that will make them employable aside their university certificates.
The Ogun State Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Kikelomo Longe stated that the current administration in the state under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun has rolled out different programmes to boost youths productivity through skills acquisition.
“As Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, we are seeking to understand the importance of man power and the various need of industries operating in the state, she added.
“There’s need to harmonize and align today’s school curriculum to ensure that various needs of industries are met, she concluded.
On his part, the Ogun State Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu said the state is blessed with the highest number of tertiary Institutions and promised that premium value would be placed towards reviewing the curriculum to adequately prepare youths to embrace skills and vocational education needed to be employers of labour.
Speaking, the President of Ogun State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA), Alhaji Wasiu Olaleye stated there is need to train according to the need based of the industry and not based of academic qualifications.
Alhaji Olaleye therefore urged youths to embrace need – based skills that would make them meet the needs of the industries.
