By Emmanuel Edukugho
About forty graduates drawn from various universities across the country have completed a four-week training programme organised by After School Graduate Development Centre (AGDC), Falomo, Lagos sponsored by Samsung Electronics West Africa.

The AGDC Employability and Enterprise Development Limited/GTE is a social enterprise accredited as a National Career Centre by the Federal Ministry of Education. The objectives and activities of AGDC are anchored on four operating platforms — Career Direction, Employability Solutions, Gainful Employment and Advocacy. Its mission is to achieve national rebirth and social change by investing and improving the employable and entrepreneurial capacity of Nigeria’s youth.

The mandate of AGDC is that every young Nigerian will find career direction and a pathway to gainful employment and productive living.

So the purpose of the just-concluded training which lasted for four weeks is to bring out the entrepreneurial potential in young graduates. They went through how to become self-employed, thoroughly rebranded, having a positive mindset that they can go out to the world and make a difference, be motivated to excel in life no matter the odds and difficulties prevalent.

During the intensive programme, facilitators from different specialisations lectured them on how to evaluate themselves to stand out different from the crowd, that one can be his/her own boss, to think positively and have self-confidence that they are qualified and fit for gainful employment, acquiring skills needed in some vital areas, and how to go through an interview when called by prospective employers as the case may be.

“The whole programme is about what a person can offer, not about what you’ve studied in school, not about the grade or excellent results obtained but about what you can do and self-belief.”

In this 7th edition of the programme, Samsung introduced essay contest for the participants titled  — HOPE FOR THE FUTURE — “What has Samsung impacted on your life.”

The best essays were selected and the following emerged winners.
The first was Adebayo Babalola who won a Samsung notebook, second position went to Amarachukwu Iwuala and Adeniyi Soleyi winning a Samsung phone, while the third placed were Mr. Patrick Mobonu and Emmanuel Ibe, who got cameras. Facilitators came from Fate Foundation.

The Branch Manager, Corporate Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mrs. Timi Adamolekun expressed her delight on the programme, saying: “I can see the dreams, potentials of what youths can do, a dream of what Samsung can do. We are touching lives and keeping dreams alive.”

She added that entrepreneurship is what AGDC and Samsung through its Corporate Social Responsibility policy are doing.

It was disclosed that up to date, about 350 graduates have been trained by Samsung Real Dreams Programme.

According to reliable source, between 2009 and 2011, about 13 million Nigerian youths will be requiring productive employment. Administrative data showed that Nigeria generates 45 million new entrants into the labour market annually.

A representative of the participant, Joy Tunde-Dodo Williams, in her remark revealed thus:
“Four weeks ago, we were people who had no focus, no clear direction, low self-esteem and unpolished skills for the workplace. But today, we can say that we are changed”

They had gone through training in leadership, presentation, communication and business writing, Emotional Intelligence, Team Building, Conflict Management, Entrepreneurship, Dressing For Success, CV Critique, Mock Interview, Psychometric test and Counselling Sessions.