By Funke Cole
With graduate unemployment on the rise, it is heartening to note that Lagos State is approaching the menace with strategic interventions. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been doing everything humanly based to reduce the unemployment figure through the enrolment of graduates into employment schemes. The governor is not just providing employment but is also determined to prepare its teeming youths to take advantage of new opportunities through education and skills.
While addressing the On Boarding Ceremony of participants of the 2024 Lagos State Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP), Sanwo-Olu reiterated that empowering more youths helps the economy develop the more.
A paid internship, GIPP offers post-National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) graduates the chance to start a career, while developing essential behavioural competencies, emotional intelligence and soft skills.
The governor, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said that scope skills development scopes were continuously increasing across the state. According to him, as labour dynamics across the world change for workers and employers alike, the government was developing a new worker-centric, forward looking, and sustainable economy that would position youths for success today and tomorrow.
For this reason, he indicated that the government was reviewing the GIPP, an initiative aimed at mitigating youth unemployment and bridging the gap between academic learning and practical workplace experiences, to ensure that new possibilities are being created for the youths as Lagos‘ economy is expanding.
He said: “This programme which was birthed in the year 2017/2018 was designed to tackle the pressing issue of unemployment in the state. So far, it has recorded a very huge success. Today’s onboarding is the third phase, while a total number of 4,000 graduates have so far benefited from the programme. The programme aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry experience, providing you with the tools necessary to succeed in your chosen career”.
Out of 7,170 applicants for the programme, 2,500 were chosen after a rigorous selection process. Based on the performance of the interns and collaboration of stakeholders, the governor assured that the number could be expanded to 4,000 participants to accommodate more people.
He urged the participants to seize the opportunity to become more employable by demonstrating to their employers that they have skills to contribute to the organisation’s success.
Welcome the guests, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. Akinyemi Ajigbotafe highlighted the pressing challenges of unemployment, underemployment, and economic inequality in the state, noting that the GIPP is a comprehensive initiative crafted by the Sanwo-Olu administration.
According to him, the selection programme involved a Computer-Based Test (CBT) for post-NYSC graduates who desire to partake in the GIPP.
Ajigbotafe reiterated that 3,000 post-NYSC Graduates selected through the CBT Assessment, participated in a three-week Intensive Employability Training. He said the participants were offered N30,000 stipend during the training.
He said: “The selected candidates will be placed on three-month internships in organisations based on the course of study, with a monthly stipend of N60,000 by the Lagos State Government”.
Ajigbotafe noted that the programme was designed to provide selected individuals with an opportunity to expand their knowledge, create benefits from invaluable job experience and build valuable networks, while gaining practical, technical and administrative industry experience.
He urged the graduates to make the best use of the opportunity to gather enough experience that would give them an edge in securing paid employment.
The Director-General/Chief Executive at Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, Mr. Adewale-Smart Oyerinde commended the state government for making such massive investment in youth development. He assured the government of the association’s support to boost the sustainability of the programme.
The current administration’s mission is to build a prosperous state by empowering and equipping youths in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda and the Youth Development Programme of the state.
During his campaign for the governorship of the state in January 2019, Sanwo-Olu announced a development agenda known as T.H.E.M.E. It stands for Transportation and Traffic Management; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos State a 21st Century Megacity; Entertainment and Tourism; and Security and Governance.
Upon his inauguration for a second term in May 2023, he added “plus” which represents Social Inclusion, Gender Equality and Youth.