Govt to train 4,000 unemployed graduates on skill acquisition

The Lagos State government will train not fewer than 4,000 unemployed graduates for six months as part of its internship programme to reduce the rate of unemployment in the state.

The programme which has been approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of the present administration and the Youth Development Programme of the State.

Speaking recently on the programme, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, said the Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) is designed to make the graduates employable by equipping them with work-ready skills that are needed in securing gainful employment.

Arobieke said the Internship Programme will be addressing the third and fourth pillars of the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, which are Education and Technology and Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.

The commissioner disclosed that the beneficiaries will be paid a monthly stipend of N40,000 for the six months duration of the internship.

She  said that at the end of the internship period, interns are expected to have gained valuable applied work experience, build up their professional skills, and would have been exposed to possible entrepreneurial opportunities to strengthen their professional skills and interpersonal relationships.

She disclosed that over 50 off-takers have shown interest in having the Interns work in their organisations.

Arobieke assured that the selection process will be transparent “as successful candidates after taking an online test will be trained on employability skills for two weeks and evaluated.

“They will subsequently, be placed on six months paid Internship with private organisations and selected public agencies in line with their qualifications.

-The Nation