Lagos – The economic situation in Nigeria has made it difficult for young people to find employment. The situation is made worse because most of the young people do not have the skills that will make them relevant at the workplace.
However, Midramo Consulting Limited, a company that is dedicated is empowering businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the skills to grow and thrive, is collaborating with its partners to change the narrative by providing training programmes that equip young Nigerians with skills that make them employable.
Mr. Rasheed Odewunmi is the Director of Operations at Midramo and he spoke with Daily Independent on what his company is doing to empower businesses and make young Nigerians employable.
According to him, “Our objective is to support SMEs in achieving their goals and to train young Nigerians by empowering them with skills that enhance their employability.”
He said that Midramo offers vocational courses to young people who are seeking to acquire skills in various trades. He disclosed that the company is currently being supported by the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) and the Lagos State Government through the USADF-LSETF Employability Programme.
He stated that the initiative, which is implemented with technical support from Diamond Development Initiatives (DDI), is empowering thousands of young people in Lagos with essential skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
He stated that during the training, participants are given transport stipends to aid their commute to and from the training centers.
He said that the company also offers vocational courses to young people who desire to acquire skills in different vocations. He stated that the company is partnering with the United States African Development Foundation (USADF)/ Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to help young Nigerians to acquire highly sought-after professional skills and gain hands-on experience through its free internship programme.
According to Odewunmi, the benefits of the programme include hands-on vocational skills training, visits to industry organizations and internship opportunities with top industry organizations He disclosed that the company also takes its trainees through entrepreneurship courses and sends trainees for internships to reputable companies and organizations.
The Director of Operations at Midramo Consulting Limited told Daily Independent that the company is a Corporate Affairs Commission accredited agent and it ensures that young people who are interested in entrepreneurship register their organizations. He said that as the Bank of Industry (BOI) Business Development Service Provider (BDSP) and NIRSAL MFB Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Midramo assists its alumni to access SME loans.
Odewunmi added that the company runs a quarterly SME clinic, which its alumni attend to learn more about running their businesses efficiently and profitably. He also posited that the company has a dedicated think-tank that provides its alumni with business advisory support for free.
Odewunmi stressed the need for young people to acquire a skill, adding that acquiring a skill will make it easier for them to get a job or run their business effectively and profitably.
Speaking on some of the challenges the company faces in running the USADF-LSETF employability programme, he noted that some young people do not want to acquire any skill, adding that they are only primarily interested in the stipend that they get.
Odewunmi encouraged the youths to be patient and focus on skill development, emphasizing that the days of succeeding without the necessary skills were over. Odewunmi counseled the youth to be patient and acquire a skill, adding that the days when people who do not have the requisite skill live a good life were over.
Another challenge, he disclosed is the reluctance of some employers to hire young people after their internships due to cost.
Odewunmi posited that the work of Midramo Consulting Limited exemplifies the positive impact that targeted training and support can have on both aspiring entrepreneurs and established SMEs, adding that by addressing the skills gap and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit, Midramo is contributing to the economic development of Nigeria and creating a brighter future for its youth.
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