Dike Onwuamaeze
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), in collaboration with The Future Project (TFP) would train1, 000 young Nigerians under the Future Africa Internship Programme (FAIP).
The initiative is expected to train youths in organisations for three to six months on N150, 000 monthly.
This was announced yesterday by the President of the LCCI, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, who stated during a news conference that skill mismatch was one of the major contributors to persistent worsening unemployment situation in the country.
The LCCI President, who was represented at the conference by the Vice President of the LCCI, Mrs. Daramola Bamidele, said the training was part of efforts to improve the nation’s employment rate.
Mabogunje said: “At the LCCI, we have realised that skill mismatch contributes to persistent worsening of the Nigeria’s unemployment situation.
“It is, therefore, not surprising employers of labour lament about the skill deficiency of job seekers, especially fresh graduates. The discordance between school curriculum and industry needs affirms why many young people are unemployed.
“This initiative is anchored on the conviction that Africa’s growth requires a generation of skillful and highly productive young people as the youth accounts for sizeable proportion of Africa’s population.”
She said the programme would enable thousands of young Africans to achieve economic sustainability through internships and also address the discordance between school curriculum and industry, to engender more skilled and employable youths in the country.
The president of the LCCI said the scheme was an industry-focused programme that would equip young graduates and make them employable in the job market.
In his remarks, the Founding Partner of the TFP, Mr. Adebola Williams, said the internship would provide young Nigerians with an opportunity to be closer to their dreams.
Williams said: “The FAIP creates a multidiscipline avenue and opportunity for young people to have real and quality experience.
“There is nothing more powerful than the hopeful and empowered human being, as that person can do anything and Nigerians are unrepentantly hopeful.
“We are looking to train 1,000 youths between now and 2023, and with talent and hard work, great achievement is sure.
“We are also open to partnerships and applications by companies willing to adopt interns.”
