17th October, 2017
The Lagos State government has reiterated its commitment to preparing final year students from tertiary institutions in the state for entry into the workforce by equipping them with skills, business tools and the right mindset.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode made this known at the second edition of a programme tagged: “Ready, Set, Work” held in Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday.
Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, said the aim of the initiative was to make undergraduates have the right mental attitude for the workplace to contribute to national productivity.
Adebule said the administration took into cognizance the high number of unemployed youths which according to her was not good for the development of a nation.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh explained that the programme was put together in response to employers complaints on the poor quality of many graduates in the country.
Bank-Olemoh who said youngsters should see every opportunity given to them as a means of boosting the productivity of the country, called on them to foster friendly initiative that would raise the standard of the country.
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun who spoke on behalf of heads of tertiary institutions, commended the state government for the initiative said every graduate was expected to demonstrate capacity for solving critical problems and for creating jobs for the development of the country
Out of the 2,000 final year students from six higher institutions in the state, about 1,500 of them who had undergone the 13 weeks entrepreneurship and employable initiative are to be placed on six months internship in seventy organizations with allowances in the state.