Stockbrokers’ institute woos accountancy students to capital market

Poised to grow its membership base through sustained education of youths on the procedures and benefits of making a career in the Capital Market, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) in collaboration with the Nigerian Universities Accounting Students Association (NUASA) has held a one-day career teaching for the students of Accounting Department of University of Calabar.

The career talk with the theme “Students Capacity Building for Professionals Coping in the 21st Century” exposed the participants to the concept of the capital market, its relationship with the economy, the regulators, operators and investment opportunities.

The team from the CIS gave prominence to an array of career opportunities in the capital market and exposed the participants to the various professional programmes being run by the CIS and how these future accountants can take advantage of these programmes to make a career in the market.

Making a presentation entitled “Mass Unemployment: The Way Forward, Life after College, Your Plan, Your Future”, the institutes’ Marketing and Media Liaising Officer, Olumide Coker stated that unemployment in Nigeria was one of the most critical problems being faced by the youths.

Coker explained that the years of corruption, civil war, military rule and mismanagement have hindered economic growth of the Country, noting that Nigeria was endowed with diverse and infinite resources, both human and materials which were yet to be fully tapped.

According to him, unemployment has social consequences as it increases the rate of crime. He stated that secondary school graduates consist of the principal fraction of the unemployed accounting for nearly 35 per cent to 50 per cent while unemployment rate within the age group of 20 to 24 years and 15 to 19 years are 40 per cent and 31 per cent respectively.

Corroborating his view, the leader of the team and second Vice President of CIS, Dapo Adekoje explained that there were incentives that would make the budding accountants participate in the examination.

He pointed out that the institute has been working very closely with the National University Commission (NUC) to accredit some of the programmes for enhanced mobility of the beneficiaries in terms of job opportunities and career enhancement.

Adekoje urged the students to work towards achieving additional qualification that would make them self employed in future.

He further stated that the securities and investment profession could only be practised by holders of CIS qualification either the Professional Diploma or the main professional examination.

Adekoje re-affirmed the Institute’s plan to empower young ones with financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills. According to him, the skill would enable them to create wealth for their clients and themselves.The students expressed gratitude to the institute for the opportunities provided by the Career Talk and they pledged to take advantage of the Professional Diploma Programme to join the members of the financial district as soon as possible.

The institute has embarked on aggressive enlightenment programme directed at various strata of the society to build investor confidence and send a positive signal to career opportunities for the youths in the market. Only recently, NUC”s Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie hosted the institute’s team in Abuja and assured them of the willingness of NUC to accredit the institute’s programme very soon. Already, NUC has constituted a four-man committee to midwife the implementation.