Vision 20:2020: Nigeria need to upgrade its skilled workforce - Okonjo-Iweala

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has revealed that Nigeria need to upgrade its skilled workforce to stimulate the economy to achieve the Federal Government’s Vision 20:2020.

Okonjo-Iweala said this in Lagos during a three-day orientation for interns under the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), supporting the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) project, that such feat would make the country become among the biggest 20 economies in the world by 2020.

The Minister of Finance who was represented by Project Director of GIS, Peter Papka, said the agency was established by the Ministry of Finance as part of the SURE-P, and is expected to prepare young job seekers between 18 and 40 years, for the work environment before they are employed.

Papka said Okonjo-Iweala, would by month-end, hold meetings with International Oil Companies (IOCs), banks, telecoms operators and other leading private sector businesses on how to galvanise the economy through job creation. Adding that, similar meeting would be held with Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), which have capacity to create over 40 per cent of Nigeria’s job requirement.

He also explained that the GIS provides graduates with quality temporary work experience to make them stronger candidates for job openings in the labour market. Such experience would also boost their chances of becoming self-employed”, he added

“The scheme will improve job placement opportunities for graduates by providing them with the opportunity to acquire professional skills, training, and work experience through a one-year internship placement.”

The Project Director of GIS stressed that though the exercise is a short-term measure, GIS has high prospects for job creation, improve the welfare of youths and achieve the inclusive growth objective of Federal Government’s transformation agenda.

He said during the period of internship, the Federal Government will be responsible for paying a monthly stipend to the interns while the participating institutions/firms would be expected to provide adequate opportunities for training and mentoring the interns.

He said the GIS is targeting up to 50,000 graduate interns yearly. He said the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is based in the Federal Ministry of Finance and is responsible for administration and management of the GIS.

Peter Papka said; “The process of selection is not competitive, as the Federal PIU would like to give an opportunity to all private/public firms to take part in this national intervention,” he said. He said the orientation exercise is aimed at preparing hired interns for the working environment and skills acquisition. Such, he said, would also guide partnering firms and interns on the GIS, especially on their roles and responsibilities.

The GIS, which started in 2012 to create opportunity for graduates to be attached to organisations, where they can work for a year and enjoy a monthly stipend of N18,000. Such interns can use the opportunity to gain working experience and enhance their employability. The project has started registration of such firms and over 83,000 beneficiaries have been registered. This is beyond the threshold of 50,000 allotted for the scheme in a year. Deployment of such beneficiaries has commenced.”

In the same vein, Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) Communications Adviser, Mrs. Mary Ikoku, in her speech said companies searching for the right employees to fill vacant positions in their organizations always ask for four or five years experience but many of the graduates do not have such experiences because they never worked before. However, by training these interns, they are able to get the required experience to confidently secure their dream jobs in the market.

Ikoku affirmed that GIS remains a sub-component of SURE-P, targeted at delivering employment opportunities for Nigeria’s teeming unemployed graduates.

She said participants must be graduates that have finished their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or obtained their certificate of exemption before they can participate. She regretted that some of Nigeria’s graduates are not employable, but these trainings would sharpen their skills. She said participants must be between 18 and 40 years. She said SURE-P is investing in critical infrastructure, Information Technology, social safety nets, oil and gas among others. She said the over time, refineries can be built through the scheme.

Similarly, Director, After School Graduate Development (ASGD), Funmi Adeyemi, one of the facilitators, said the interns were being trained to support and add value to the organisations where they work.

She advised the interns to build self- confidence and develop the needed skills that will enable them to secure the right jobs when the opportunities arose.

Over 83,000 beneficiaries have been registered, which is beyond the 50,000 allotted for the scheme in a year. She advised the youth on the need to be efficient, competent and team players as such skills will enable them to fit into the organisations where they work.