Acquire vocational skills for self-reliance, Ondo senator advises youths

The Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District of Ondo State, Adeniyi Adegbonmire SAN, has called on the youths, especially graduates not to rely solely on the government for employment but to also be involved in learning vocational skills for self-reliance.

The senator noted that government employing everyone was no longer realistic in Nigeria, hence the need for every graduate to think of acquiring vocational skills.

Adegbonmire stated this in Akure, the state capital, at the skill acquisition programme for fresh graduates of Ondo Central Senatorial District on Monday. The programme started on Monday and would end by Wednesday.

The three-day programme is sponsored by the senator in collaboration with the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services and no fewer than 170 youths participated in the programme.

The federal lawmaker explained that the motive behind the training was to employ the youths in the senatorial district.

He said, “My view is that we need to equip youths with skills so they can become self-employed. It is unrealistic to expect the government—whether federal, state, or local government to employ everyone. There is a misconception in Nigeria where people expect the government to be the primary employer, and when we talk about unemployment, they think the solution lies solely with government jobs.

“To truly address unemployment, we need to ensure people acquire skills that will empower them to work independently. This program aims to provide such skills so that individuals can become self-employed, thereby significantly reducing the unemployment rate in Nigeria. That’s my motivation, and I plan to continue with this initiative.

“Additionally, education isn’t just about getting degrees; it’s about gaining the ability to fend for yourself. By equipping people with practical skills, we help them to be self-reliant. This, to me, is the essence of being truly educated.”

Adegbonmire added that consultants were engaged to assess the impact of the programmes at its conclusion, admonishing the participants to utilise the opportunity of the training for their self-reliance.

In his remarks, the representative of the consulting firm, engaged for the programme – Energy Impact Consultant, Engr. Ayodele Adesina explained that of 170 participants, 100 were fresh graduates who would be trained in Information and Communication Technology, while the remaining 70 were women who would receive training on agriculture.

He said the trainees would be given tools to work at the end of the training.

“Hundred fresh graduates will receive training in vital ICT skills, including CCTV and solar-powered inverter installation. Similarly, 70 women will gain valuable knowledge and tools for the palm oil processing value chain, bolstering their trades and strengthening their economic independence”, Adesina stated.