GAP Network Institute to Address Dearth of Skills in Corporate Sectors

…says despondency affects technical skills to thrive among unemployed graduates

Ugo Aliogo

The Graduate Advancement Programme (GAP), a flagship programme of the Knowledge Exchange Centre, has stated the need to address the dearth of skills in corporate sectors of the economy, adding that the move was geared to accelerate career growth for unemployed graduates in Nigeria with skills on demand by helping graduates secure employment through internship programmes, data analysis, soft skills training, structured support, mentorship and counselling to plug all the gaps of redundancy in critical sectors of the economy.

GAP institute also sought the need to address redundancy amongst the unemployed sector by facilitating soft learning skills for unemployed graduates which it said was strategically designed to address unemployment among Nigerian Graduates.

Speaking at the 7th graduation ceremony of GAP graduands, executive Chairman of XL Africa Group, Charles Nwodo, said GAP network programme is an interventionist platform designed to bridge the gap between potential employees and job market to equip them for employability and entrepreneurship.

This is coming on the heels as GAP network further affirmed the need to join partnerships with the Lagos state ministry of wealth creations and employment and MSME Africa to bolster skills on demand in various establishment.

While applauding the graduands of the GAP network initiative, the institute reiterated the need to do GAP analysis to know the level of employability and redundancy in corporate organisation and organised private sector of the economy.

GAP network also asserted that the programme was aimed at allowing young graduates to develop soft skills, technical support, and attitudes employers are looking for while affirming that this would provide them with access to job opportunities through KEC employer partner organisations.

He said the initiative would help graduates secure meaningful employment and accelerate career growth through training, career counselling, mentoring, internship and a structured support system for its alumni.

He further explained that the institute offers graduate trainees with knowledge exchange which serve as intervention vehicle to survive in the unemployment space noting that the corporate society needs exposure on technical skills to bridge unemployment gaps.

Nwudo said we implemented this programme to make them job ready and position them for potential employment in the corporate organization in Nigeria adding that such intervention vehicle will address the hydra-headed level of unemployment in the labour force.

According to him, “We expose them to important soft skills for them to thrive. Over the years we have recorded 100 per cent successes in all out trainees and many of them have started their own establishments and personal jobs to improve capacity in entrepreneurship space.

“The aspiration of GAP network initiative is to expand capacity to maintain quality standards while on-boarding the several thousands of graduates that apply for the programme to learn digital skills that would position them for employment.

“The atmosphere of despondency was suffocating the acquisition of skills and potential training for graduates in the country while urging graduands and new interns to make a difference from the multitudes of Nigerians who refuse to learn skills to improve their capacity.

“Dear graduands you should be beacon of efficiency and value creation. In order to improve the growth model for SMEs and entrepreneurs in the country,there is need for perquisite knowledge to thrive in the job market with availability of technical and digital skills. People in the technical space should have a solid background in coursera courses, business analyst, soft skills, data analysis, coding and other technicalities.”

Also speaking, former Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, Mr. James Agada, hinted on the need to learn and develop soft skills that would help individuals and businesses to thrive in corporate organisation, noting that this would address dearth of Skills in corporate sectors of the economy.

He stated the need to improve growth placement and visibility for SMEs in the country through technical learning skills while stressing that this would boost entrepreneurial drive to enhance perfomance and local capacity.

Agada asserted that this would be achieved by doing GAP analysis to know the levels of employment and unemployment in the corporate sector and technical space.