Yemisi Izuora
The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) in partnership with Jobberman and ATC (one of Nigeria’s leading independent owner, operator and developer of wireless and broadcast communications real estate), has graduated 62 trainees within the Makoko community in Lagos State and succeeded in attaining 44 per cent job placement for them.
The partnership, which kicked off in October of 2017 is aimed at training and providing job placements for unemployed youths within the various communities in Lagos State, with the initiative kicking off with Makoko. Youths, who possess a minimum of SSCE certification will receive an intensive training in life skills, entrepreneurship and information and communication technology (ICT). The training will include digital skills such as graphics and web designs, digital marketing as well as photography and videography.
This is in line with the Fund’s key mandate of bridging the huge unemployment gap in the state, by providing skills development and job creation opportunities for thousands of unemployed youths in Lagos State and to ensure effective learning and individual coaching, the training partners will admit and train 36 youths monthly in 6 months cycle across the state.
Commenting on the initiative, the Executive Secretary of LSETF, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode said “The Makoko youth has been entrench in the minds of Lagos residents as the poster child of indigent living conditions and lack of opportunities. So as change agents, our choice of starting this initiative with Makoko is straight forward. We aim to make an impact in the very heart of where the problems of poverty and unemployment are most manifested.
“With this initiative, we intend to create a pipeline of very young competent professionals who would inspire the younger generation of youths in their community to aspire to a life of meaning and opportunity. There is no better way than to equip them with life and digital skills, which are today, the most relevant requirements in the digitally-driven businesses and economies”. he said
Asides this partnership, the LSETF is currently working with the United Nations, Development Programme (UNDP) through the Lagos State Employability Support Project. Already, the programme has graduated over 1134 trainees and has helped with job placement of 263 of the certified trainees.
Registration for the 2nd batch of trainees is currently ongoing and it is expected that by the end of the training, the state will experience an increase in the pool of skilled manpower required to alleviate the acute shortages of employable labour.
“To enable the success of this initiative, the LSETF calls on well-meaning individuals, corporates and civic societies, who are very keen to join us to combat the scourge of unemployment can do so by contacting the Fund for donation or strategic support partnership. The UNDP and some individuals have already set the pace in this very exemplary endeavor, so I enjoin others to join the league”, Oyebode added.