From Nigeria to UK:  Chigozie Anozie’s Journey to Earning and Thriving

Prince’s Trust International, PTI, which metamorphoses young Nigerians to dream jobs, was founded by His Majesty, King Charles III, to tackle the global crisis of youth unemployment. Since 2015, the platform has supported over 50,000 young people across 20 countries within the Commonwealth and beyond across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe. They work with local partners to develop programmes and interventions to help young people to build their futures. They are committed to amplifying the voices of young people on the global stage and putting their needs at the very heart of the design and delivery of our work in line with Sustainable Development Goals. One of its success story, 28-year-old Nigeria, Chigozie Anozie, after two years of wandering in the labour market, is currently basking in the euphoria of his new job —as a solar engineer in a renewable energy firm. Recently, Anozie was a coronation guest of Prince Charles in the UK. At the recent launch of PTI in Lagos where 120 applicants and critical stakeholders converged to change their career trajectories, he tells Rebecca Ejifoma about his quest to light up communities and villages across Nigeria and Africa 

Could you walk us through your journey as a guest at the Coronation of King Charles III in the UK?

I got the Prince’s Trust International (PTI) invitation on January 16 last year when I was still in Imo state. A friend of mine sent me the invitation to register for the programme, Get Into Renewable Energy programme. I thought it was an employment. But on registering, I found out it was training. I knew I needed the skills to get into the fields, and solar energy is something I’ve always wanted to do. 

I applied for the programme. Surprisingly, I got invited. I left Imo state for Lagos on a Sunday by road [about nine hours of travel excluding traffic gridlock]. I attended the interview. Luckily for me, I was part of the applicants who were interviewed. 

I’m thrilled; my experience at the coronation of King Charles III was unique, attending an event I had always wished to attend. I got an invitation from the King after I did the PTI programme and got employed. 

The Coronation is one of the most significant, highest, most respected ceremonial events in the world. I wore my Isi agu [native attire of the Igbos from the eastern part of Nigeria]. I don’t think there’s any event that could beat that.

Having had such a memorable lifetime experience, what impact would the PTI programme have on you and your career?

It was after the PTI programme I got employed. Before that, I was learning different skills. Even though I applied to companies for jobs, no one ever called me. It felt sad, depressing, and frustrating. 

I rounded off my university education in 2018. I studied Mechanical Engineering at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in Abia State. After completing the compulsory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in 2019, I was home for about two years.

PTI sent me to a company in Lagos for my internship after training for a month in 2022. I was determined to give it my best when I got there. So, before the internship ended, the company offered me employment immediately after the PTI programme. I was overjoyed. I was the first person to gain employment after the programme. I was proud to be. I’m grateful to PTI. 

Being at home without a job for two years was frustrating. I wasn’t earning income for those years. I tried my best to see if I could meet the demand in the market. Despite all those glaring challenges, I was optimistic when I got the invitation from PTI. In the end, it worked out for me. 

What hurdles would you say the youth in the country face using your experience as a reference?

One of the biggest challenges facing youth in Nigeria, speaking from experience, is not giving us a chance to showcase our talent, our strengths. 

I believed in myself. I knew what I could do. But I never got to express it with all the applications I sent. I applied to companies I was sure I could bring much value to, but they never accepted the applications, much less gave me a chance to express my abilities. 

I would implore companies in Nigeria to start accepting applicants applying to their companies, not based on recommendations alone. Some people don’t have anyone to recommend them. Some people are capable, resilient, and enthusiastic about the job but continue to while away the time at home. Some of them are venturing into different activities they never wished to do. However, if these companies can be more receptive and welcome applicants who reach the qualifications or are fit for that role, it will help. Interview them, and employ them if they qualify. 

Again, some of these young people even applied for internships, but the companies never accepted them. For some companies, when they accept these applicants, they won’t pay them. 

Encouraging fellow youth to see the light at the end of the tunnel

I would advise my fellow youth, who are still without jobs, to embrace impactful programmes like this PTI with positivity. In Nigeria, most of us think that programmes like PTI are far touch from reality. Keep learning; there’s no limit to what you can achieve. 

There’s hope in Nigeria. Sometimes, however, our government makes hope seem impossible. For those travelling for studies, you can acquire the knowledge and return home. I know a lot of CEOs in Nigeria who travelled to study abroad and returned to the country, employed labour and contributed their quota. So, I want to encourage our youth to remember home when they leave the country.

Now that you have a platform to express your career strength, what is your aspiration for society, nation and continent?

Now I’m in the renewable energy line—even though I believe I have other skills I haven’t displayed yet—I’m still growing. I want to power our communities and villages in Nigeria and Africa someday. I want to give these communities electricity. I don’t know how long it will take. But this is my target.