In an intentional effort to bridge the gap between academia and industry, Igbinedion University Okada in collaboration with Edo State Skills Development Agency conducted an intensive one-day Employability Training Program for its final-year students.
The event which took place on Wednesday, at the institution’s GST Hall was a collaborative initiative aimed at providing the students with practical skills and knowledge essential for succeeding in the competitive job market.
In his opening remark, the Vice-Chancellor, Igbinedion University Okada, Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, Ph.D., FAS ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Raphael I. Adeghe explained that the initiative is aimed at equipping the students with critical soft skills that will help them navigate the rather competitive labour market after graduation.
“The days of graduates roaming the streets, chasing jobs that are not available particularly the so-called ‘white collar’ jobs in the name of job hunting are over, especially for the graduates of Igbinedion University Okada,” Prof. Ezemonye emphasised.
He urged the students to utilize the opportunity by making the most out of the training session, assuring them that the initiative is consistent with the University’s strategy of infusing life skills into its academic curricula to produce future-ready graduates.
In her welcome address, the Director, Sir (Dr.) David Osunde Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Dr. Mrs. Mary Josiah, commended the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for his commitment to engaging youths with facilities to equip them with relevant skills for learning, capacity building, development programs, and job opportunities.
She further noted that the initiative is in line with the policy of the University to engage 300-level students across the Colleges in Entrepreneurship studies by bringing in successful entrepreneurs and industry experts in various fields to equip the students with the necessary knowledge across various areas like animal husbandry, fashion designing, bakery & confectionaries, cosmetics, music among others.
“Recently, during the students’ product exhibition and enterprise competition, three students emerged winners and were given the VC’s prize as seed money for them to start their businesses,” Dr. Josiah remarked.
The Guest Speaker for the event, Mr. Ogunleye Joseph, Line Manager, Job Matching Unit, Edo State Skills Development Agency, revealed the initiative behind the event as part of the mandate of the agency by the Edo State Governor to go across universities and equip students and youths with employability skills.
“We want to train the students before they go into the labour markets with skills like CV writing, communication skills, problem-solving & emotional intelligence because these are what grow them when they are on the job and what they also need before they get the job,” Ogunleye explained.
The Employability Training Program featured lectures from seasoned professionals offering invaluable insights into industry trends, resume writing techniques, interview preparation, interpersonal skills development, and practical advice to the students.
In his lecture, Ogunleye explained the need for building one’s emotional intelligence, especially in work place to help build better working relationships.
He further explained the 7Cs of effective communication; clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous, as well as the need to practice active listening, feedback, and building teamwork spirit. He also pointed out barriers that are likely to hamper effective communication.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Temitope Abumere, the Job Counsellor, Edo Jobs–Usen, delivered a lecture on personal effectiveness, self-awareness, self-confidence, and time management with practical examples, while advising the students to take time to self-reflect and be open-minded to feedbacks and constructive criticism as a way to grow.
In her lecture, Mrs. Abumere distinguished between soft skills and hard skills, emphasizing the need for soft skills development not only for employability but also for the place of entrepreneurship.
One of the highlights of the program was a mock interview session, where students had the opportunity to put their newly acquired skills to the test. Feedback from industry professionals provided students with valuable insights into areas for improvement, empowering them to refine their interview techniques and presentation skills.
Students present at the Employability Training Program expressed gratitude for the invaluable experience gained. Onwujuba Amarachi Miracle, a final-year nursing student, shared her thoughts on the program, stating, “The Employability Training Program has been eye-opening for me because most of the time the issues we have as we graduate from school were the basic things taught here today, most especially skills like time management and CV writing which we as final year students need before venturing into the labour market.”
Similarly, the President, a final year student of the Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies, Blessbe Jonacs appreciated the timely event in this phase of their academics.
“I didn’t know that sending your CV in PDF and Ms. Word format can impact the application tracking system. I now know that it’s harder for the ATS to read PDF as it does Ms. Words format. That is a big plus for me. In terms of communication, I also saw how vital upward and downward communication is in the office environment”.
According to Ogunleye, other schools will be visited across the state in line with the mandate of the Governor.
“We are going around schools in Edo state. So far, we’ve covered the Wellspring University and School of Nursing. We are here at Igbinedion University Okada, and next, we will be going to the University of Benin, then Auchi Polytechnic. We will also be engaging Youth Corps Members in the State as well,” he noted.
