Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Ifeanejere: In Search Of Solution To Unemployment

By Lawrence Njoku, Enugu
02 January 2016   |   2:40 am
AT 19, Surface Chinedu Ifeanejere decided to set a target for himself- to be part of the solution to Nigeria’s employment problem and contribute to the development of the country before next year. This stemmed from the realisation of the rising unemployment due to youths’ acquisition of education without the requisite content to make them…
Ifeanejere

Ifeanejere

AT 19, Surface Chinedu Ifeanejere decided to set a target for himself- to be part of the solution to Nigeria’s employment problem and contribute to the development of the country before next year.

This stemmed from the realisation of the rising unemployment due to youths’ acquisition of education without the requisite content to make them fit into the challenges of today.

Although he was in the secondary school then, the Ukpor, Nnewi-born
Surface was determined to do things differently that would present him
as not just an embodiment of content, but one that could affect other youths by way of empowering them to live out poverty and unemployment.

He wanted to see youths depending on nobody, but themselves to make a living and affect society positively.

Today, at 33, you can call him a multi-talented, as his desires appear to be falling in place.

He has not only graduated as an Electrical Electronics engineer (EEE), he has also mastered all sorts of electrical wiring (conduit and surface), as well as trained in wall and floor tiling, Terrazzo fixing, air conditioner installation, trading on electrical and building materials to make himself complete in the field.

He told The Guardian that theoretical study in the higher institution without the practical knowledge, sometimes from those who may not have passed through the walls of the higher institution was necessary for one to be complete in his field.

Surface, a tutorial software
developer, oracle programmer/ICT personnel, author (e-book
and audio books), runs various capacities-building training for
individuals and organisations in different fields of life.

His Nedu Francis Foundation, which has many graduate youths under its tutelage, has sponsored some of the youths with technical skills abroad after understudying and developing themselves at the Foundation.

He explained how it all began: “While growing up, I kept asking
questions about why people should spend much time studying a
particular course in school and ending up not doing anything in the
end.

“I was worried that so many youths were out there without something they can lay claims to and I told myself that I will be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

After higher education at the Imo State Polytechnic, Nekede, he did his Industrial Training at Cat Construction Company in Bayelsa State and later worked at Frank Technical Company.

Thereafter, Surface, thirsty for practical knowledge, started sourcing for people with practical skill.

“I came into contact with a man that never attended higher institution, but good in tiles installation, and he taught me tiles installation- wall and floor tiles.

“After that, I underwent training in conduit wiring with a personnel of Cat Construction Company, who has his own outfit.

“From there, I came down to Enugu and met a man, who introduced me to the systems of electrical.

“In the cause of doing that, I discovered that I have cause to learn
mechanical electrical practically, which is split unit installation of air conditioner.”

Surface said during the days he was busy training himself, he could
not continue with formal education, adding, however, that the opportunity to return to school came after he was through with learning to fix air conditioners.

But instead of returning to school to continue with electrical
electronics engineering, he went for Computer Science.

“I needed the knowledge based on my belief that the world is a global
village and the knowledge from here is very important in the kind of
future I am looking for and my quest to contribute meaningfully to the development of my environment,” he said.

0 Comments