‘Students need regular exposure to entrepreneurial, networking skills’

Deputy vice chancellor, research, innovation, and strategic partnerships, University of Ibadan (UI) Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, has stressed the need for undergraduates to be regularly exposed to entrepreneurial and networking skills. She said this while addressing over 700 participants at a youth empowerment programme organised by the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), to help prepare students for life after school.

Adeyemo who described the session as a novel initiative, said such programmes would help the students harness their potentials and also prepare them adequately for the business world.She urged participants to take advantage of the unique opportunity by applying themselves to further learning and development during and after the workshop.

“This is a big opportunity which you must take advantage of. Endeavour to apply the principles learnt to your life. I am confident if you look back in five years’ time, you would appreciate the decision you have taken to be part of this programme considering the impact it would have had on your career or business. If Nigerian students are regularly exposed to this type of training, it will help them to a large extent,” she said.

Also, the sustainability and community affairs manager, NBC, Ifeoma Okoye, described the initiative as one of the channels the company employs to empower young Nigerians to succeed in life.Okoye stated that the campus version of the youth empowered initiative is tailored to help undergraduates achieve their career or lifelong ambitions by providing guidance, support and mentorship as they transit from school into meaningful employment or self-employment.

“The modules covered in the intensive two-day training range from project and time management to business planning, negotiation, financial literacy skills, communication and sales skills.

We are optimistic that this would mark a life-changing experience for them given that it would enable them learn new things outside the school’s curricula,” she said.Dean, Faculty of Arts, UI, Prof. Afis Oladosu, said the initiative has the capability of helping the students discover themselves and be creative in their approach to learning.