Caladium launches academy to bridge skills gap with 1,000 fresh graduates

Caladium Consulting, a leading strategy firm, has launched the Caladium Strategy Skills Academy: a structured, hands-on business training program designed to help aspiring early-career professionals and experienced professionals seeking a career in or switching to business strategy.

According to the Lead Strategist/Chief Executive Officer of Caladium Consulting, Ayo Bankole Akintujoye, the newly launched Strategy Skills Academy is set to train 1,000 fresh graduates to help bridge the knowledge gap and equip them with the most needed strategy skills to prepare them for a career in business strategy.

He stated that the two-week intensive training program will consist of expert-led sessions by Caladium Consulting facilitators, case studies, and interactive projects.

Participants will walk away with practical skills that set them apart in Nigeria’s highly competitive job market.

Akintujoye described the Caladium Strategy Skills Academy as a launchpad for future business leaders.

He revealed that participants will be exposed to the world of strategy consulting and gain real-world, hands-on experience in Research and Data Analysis, Business Planning and market Studies, Strategy Frameworks and execution, PowerPoint and business Presentations, and Process Documentation and mapping.

“Our goal is simple: to build a strong pipeline of young professionals and career-switchers who can analyse business problems, develop strategic solutions, and confidently compete globally. Nigeria has the talent; what’s missing is structured, hands-on learning.

“That’s exactly what we are providing them with this Academy and we are doing this for free because if we are to put a fee to it, it would be out of reach of the average Nigerian fresh graduate. However, the application requirements will be very steep in ensuring seriousness and quality. We want to build a pipeline of our Academy graduates that brands can trust,’’ he said.

He disclosed that the first phase of the Academy will focus on 1000 fresh graduates, NYSC members, and early-career professionals who want to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and business analysis skills.

Akintujoye further explained that the company will introduce a second track explicitly designed for experienced professionals who want to transition into strategy consulting in the coming months.

This track will help them refine their expertise, understand structured frameworks, and position themselves for leadership roles.

“Nigeria has no shortage of young people; however, with the ever-increasing rate of emigration, there is a shortfall in the availability of talent. A weakened curriculum that fails to teach practical business management skills, like business and data analysis, strategy, research and management, further exacerbates the issue. This absence of structured training affects many graduates as they struggle to transition into the corporate world, especially in strategy and business consulting,” he added.

Speaking on eligibility for the program, Akintujoye noted that the training is open to fresh graduates and aspiring professionals from 300-level students, recent graduates, or NYSC corps members, a minimum of a 2:1 or upper credit in any discipline, with leadership experience in university, NYSC, or professional settings and must own a functional laptop.

He enjoined interested participants to register on the company website at www.caladiumconsulting.com.