The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), on Tuesday, brought together young professionals for an engagement and capacity-building session designed to help them navigate the world of work.

For many young Nigerian graduates, obtaining a university degree is no longer a guarantee of employment. After years of schooling, many are confronted with the difficult reality of competing for limited jobs in an increasingly demanding labour market.

Speaking during a training on Interview Readiness and Employer Confidence, Lady Diana Eyo-Enoette, Special Adviser to the Governor of Delta State on Sustainable Development Goals, urged youths to focus on the qualities that employers increasingly demand beyond academic qualifications and polished professional profiles.

The session, organised under the NJFP Talent Hub+ in Asaba, focused on career readiness, personal development, employability, professional branding and strategies for making young graduates more competitive in the labour market.

Eyo-Enoette said: “Employers are not looking for brilliant CVs anymore or nice posts on LinkedIn because we know that can be generated by AI. They now look out for competence, communication, character, and consistency.”

Eyo-Enoette provided practical guidance on CV and interview preparation, encouraging participants to build the competence and confidence needed to position themselves for employment opportunities.

She noted that having a degree and a well-written CV may no longer be enough to secure a job.

Speaking during a session titled “Ready for Life, Ready for Work,” For life coach Joseph Wise Aderibigbe, challenged the participants to view readiness as a continuous process of personal development rather than something that begins only when a job opportunity appears.

He encouraged participants to see readiness not only as preparation for employment but as an intentional process of developing themselves for the demands of life and work.

Also speaking, the Founder of LIDA Lady Irene David-Arinze, Network trained the participants on branding and communication with an emphasis on the need for a reputable digital footprint.

In a statement, NJFP Alumni lead, Moyosoluwa Olabisi Oladayo, emphasised the various opportunities available under the NJFP Talent Hub+ and the need to leverage the resources and opportunities available to them for career and entrepreneurship advancement.

The engagement forms part of NJFP’s ongoing Talent Hub+ activities aimed at supporting Fellows and alumni through career guidance, capacity building, networking and continued access to professional opportunities.

The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), connects young Nigerian graduates with work opportunities while providing them with practical workplace experience and skills.