The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Her Excellency Hajia Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, has described the recently held Kaduna Career Fair as a catalyst for change as it signifies a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors to create an ecosystem where talent is recognised, nurtured and given the platform to thrive.

She made this remark during her special address at the Kaduna Career Fair held on Thursday, November 23, at the Umaru Yar’Adua Conference Hall, Kaduna. While addressing over 2000 participants and 250 employers, the Deputy Governor stressed the importance of human capital development to the economic advancement of Kaduna State.

“Jobberman is at the forefront of connecting talents with opportunities, and I commend them for bridging the unemployment gap in our State. Well-developed human capital is pivotal to reducing unemployment, thereby lifting citizens out of poverty. Unemployment poses a threat to national security with increasing poverty. On the instructions of the Governor, all ministries, departments and agencies of the government have been mandated to put processes in place to assure ease of doing business by private initiatives in Kaduna,” Balarable said.

While delivering the opening remarks at the event, the Honourable Commissioner of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology, Hajia Patience Fakai, said, “The ministry will retain the database of participants to continue to match them up with job opportunities.”

The charge to job seekers to become more technologically savvy was the focus of the keynote address delivered by Aaron John, Chief Resilience Officer, Kaduna City Office of Resilience. He noted that the future of work is people and technology working together in tandem, not in opposition.

The significance of the Kaduna Career Fair was further reinforced by Ahmed Alaga, Programme Manager, Jobberman Nigeria as he emphasised that “Jobberman Nigeria has grown beyond private placement services to employers and job seekers to focus on human capital development. With projections that Nigeria’s population will double by 2050, we will either have the largest job force in the world or the largest criminal force. The choice is ours, and we must begin the work now.”

The Kaduna Career Fair, hosted by Jobberman in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and supported by the Kaduna State Government, featured an expert panel on the topic: Skills and Qualities Employers are Looking for in Today’s Changing Job Market, moderated by Dorothy Chukwuma, People and Culture Senior Adviser, Jobberman Nigeria.

Panellists included Ibrahim Mohammed, S.A, Economic Matters; Fatimal Auwal Tafoki, Senior Programme Officer, Natview Foundation for Technology Innovation; Raphel Isah, CEO GreySoft and GreyHobb; and Dr Mustapha Shitu, Former MD KADEDA, all who spoke extensively on the need for mentorship, improved communication skills, and demonstration of willingness to work by seekers.

Addressing how employers can attract and retain talents, Dr Shitu said, “Employers must show interest in the professional development of staff and carry out salary surveys. You cannot pay a staff N200,000 and keep them on that salary level when your business records year-on-year profit. The staff will not stay.”

The need for flexible work conditions, work-life integration instead of balance, effective time management, identification of a family support system, and prioritisation were essential issues discussed during the female-focused panel on Balancing Career and Personal Growth: Insights from Successful Women. Naja’atu Ahmed, SSA, Kaduna State Government; Safiya Aliyu, General Manager, Sosai Renewables; and Farida Hamzat, CEO, TNV Consults Ltd shared their personal experiences during the panel session moderated by Rebecca Maulomu Pandonu, SSA, Gender and Social Inclusion.

Goodwill messages were delivered by various leading organisations in Kaduna State, including ITF, SMEDAN, Blue Camel, and Tomato Jos.

The Kaduna Career Fair is the first-of-its-kind event designed to attract, upskill, and inspire job seekers in Kaduna, focusing on young female professionals. It is a part of the Jobberman learning series organised nationwide in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation as part of the Young Africa Work Strategy, which seeks to create economic opportunities that will improve youth talent competitiveness and support them to secure jobs they see as dignified and fulfilling.