UNICEF and Unilever bring skills training programme to UNILAG

As part of Nigerian universities’ drive to produce graduates prepared for the workplace and the future, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Unilever Nigeria Plc have joined forces to make a significant contribution to achieving this goal in Nigeria.

To this end, both organisations met on Thursday, July 4 at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, to organise a one-day professional and personal development programme for students of the institution.

Thousands of students from various fields of study took part in the programme, which was held in the university’s main auditorium.

UNILAG is reportedly one of 20 universities in the country selected for training under the slogan: “Future Unilever Campus Ambassadors Program (FUCAP)”.

The project aims to provide care to three million young people, but it is estimated that by 2026 around 700,000 of them will be appropriately equipped with the skills that are the focus of the project.

Speaking to Tribune Online on the sidelines of the UNILAG event on Thursday, Programme Officer, UNICEF Nigeria, Mr. Bharat Kundra, emphasised why young people need to acquire skills beyond what formal education can offer them in this changing world.

According to him, the world is changing, and with it the knowledge and skills that people need to survive in the growing market and remain competitive.

He added that UNICEF Nigeria is doing all it can through various programmes to equip young people with the necessary knowledge and skills that will enrich their formal education and open up opportunities in the job market, both now and in the future.

He added that one such initiative is the collaboration with Nigeria Unilever under the FUCAP programme, which focuses on students on campuses.

He explained that the FUCAP programme aims to reach 3 million young people and equip around 700,000 of them with 21st century skills that will make them highly sought after in local and global markets.

These skills include: effective communication, collaboration and teamwork, critical thinking, digital and financial literacy, and emotional resilience.

Kundra, while acknowledging that every country in the world faces challenges such as access to electricity and the internet, as in the case of Nigeria, said that young people, as agents of change, can address these challenges by demonstrating resilience and optimism to bring about positive change.

He therefore called on the youth to acquire these skills, take initiatives, seek opportunities, share ideas and be optimistic. He added that this will help them secure a secure future.

Unilever Nigeria People Partner and FUCAP Project Leader Zainab Ajadi also stressed the importance of young people acquiring skills that will enable them to find their place in the workplace and be self-sufficient in their ventures.

She noted that Unilever Nigeria is a passionate company committed to helping young people reach their full potential and contribute to the development of the country, hence the decision to partner with UNICEF, which has a similar goal in this regard.

She noted that FUCAP participants who were able to demonstrate most of these skills had a chance to find a job or internship with the company.

In her speech, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) of UNILAG, Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, reiterated the need to equip the youth with knowledge and skills that will make them relevant to society, even while they are still in school.

She added that this is why UNILAG takes entrepreneurship and innovation programmes very seriously for all students across different disciplines even before they graduate.

She noted that the university’s goal, in addition to conducting innovative scientific research and engaging in social activities, is to educate graduates ready for the future.

Atsenua commended UNICEF and Unilever Nigeria for creating the FUCAP programme and for making UNILAG students part of the beneficiaries, stating that the impact of the programme will be much wider.

Some students told Tribune Online that the training and experience provided by the programme will greatly enhance the knowledge they will gain at university.

ALSO READ THESE MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLES FROM NIGERIAN STAND

Work on change starts immediately – UK PM Starmer