By Nudoiba Ojen
“One must also have a skill in one vocation or the other so that if the degree is not assisting you to make money into your bank account, you can make use of your skills. So students don’t need to wait until after NYSC to look for jobs”
Smarting from the successes recorded in various vocational trainings in the past, the Centre For Entrepreneurship Studies (CENTS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta is to forge more collaborations with the skill acquisition outfit, Next Big Deal Hub, to undertake various vocational training programmes for the teeming youths in the country in 2024.
Disclosing this was the Chief Executive Officer of Next Big Deal Hub, Miss Bukola Jaiyeola, during an interview.
She said the array of facilities available for training at the University’s Centre For Entrepreneurship Studies have positioned CENTS as an agency to partner with to achieve the organization’s capacity building efforts.
Miss Jaiyeola, who herself is a graduate of Nutrition and Dietetics from the institution, applauded the laudable efforts of the Vice Chancellor, Prof B.O Kehinde, for his support and CENTS Director, Prof Emily Ayo-John for her result-oriented approach to developing the latent talents of young ones.
She also applauded the efforts of the Next Big Deal Hub team that ensured the success of the concluded FUNAAB project – Boluwatife Esther, Olaitan Tijesuni, Giwa Genesis, Adunni Atewogbola, Adeyemi Ganiyat, Jummai Bello, Adelaja Ajibola, and Bakare Oriyomi.
According to her, what remains uppermost in her heart is primarily to give back to the institution that produced her and more importantly to empower youths and other interested individuals based on current economic realities.
Jaiyeola said that with the way the world is going, apart from having a degree, “one must also have a skill in one vocation or the other so that if the degree is not assisting you to make money into your bank account, you can make use of your skills. So students don’t need to wait until after NYSC to look for jobs”.
She reeled out the company’s area of specialization to include Event Planning and Decorations along with other skills learnt during training sessions at the German agency, GIZ, on business development.
Just few months ago, Next Big Deal Hub in partnership with FUNAAB CENTS organized a four-weeks vocational training for over 120 youths, following which a princely amount of N100,000 was presented during the grand finale and graduation ceremony which held on September 23, 2023.
The four weeks of entrepreneurial skills and vocations learnt by the youths included Fashion Designing, Graphics Designing, Shoe Making, Hairdressing, Event Planning and Decorations, Catering, Product Design (UI/UX), Frond End Web Dev, Photography & Videography, and Make-Up and Gele.
The graduation ceremony which was held with fanfare was attended by a host of personalities including the Director of CENTS, FUNAAB, Prof. Emily Ayo-John, who urged government at all levels to provide enabling environment for young graduates to venture into vocational training to reduce the level of unemployment among youths as a way of fighting the current wave of insecurity in Nigeria.
Prof Ayo-John also advised young graduates roaming about the streets looking for white collar jobs to look inward saying that Nigeria’s economy is diversifying, and there are lots of Entrepreneurial projects going on, with lots of institutions and bodies investing into Entrepreneurship, she advised youths to key into this.
Also in attendance were the Deputy Director of FUNAAB CENTS, Professor Egbeyale; Principal Executive Manager, Mr Jide Olaiya; Founder of YFSI, Mr Tayo Akinpelu, Dr. Oshadare Segun Anthony, Dr. (Mrs) O.E Kajihausa, representatives from Prince Ade John Initiatives for Development (PAID), Mrs Oyindamola Olabode, CEO Honey Haute Events and members from Grazac technologies.
At the end of the programme, certificates and awards were presented to participants while the overall winner of business pitch, Miss Olatunji Rebecca Oyindamola went home with the N100,000 star prize.
As the year 2024 approaches, more plans are to be unfolded to empower the youths as Miss Jaiyeola wished everyone compliments of the season.
Miss Bukola Jaiyeola can be reached via LinkedIn at Bukola Jaiyeola or Instagram @jaiyeb. Other information to aid that were provided which include:
Email: info@nextbigdealhub.com
Website: www.nextbigdealhub.com
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | LinkedIn: @nextbigdealhub
FUNAAB CENTS can be reached via
Email: cents@funaab2021@gmail.com
Website: cents@funaab.edu.ng
