These are not the best of times for graduates, especially with the economy mired in recession and youth unemployment on a record high.
For this, there is national campaign spearhead by United Kingdom-based Proten UK Limited to highlight opportunities for businesses and encourage jobless youths to start and build a business.
For its Chief Executive,Opy Onas, the downturn should not be seen as a bad omen; rather it should push many youths to set up their own businesses and become part of a generation of young entrepreneurs.
Addressing a one day seminar on “passion to profession boot camp” in Lagos, Onas said with the unemployment crisis, youths have no options but to take their future into their own hands and be in control of their destinies.
Against the backdrop of rising youth unemployment, he challenged young people to think creatively and invent new products or services that address every-day market opportunities.
As an entrepreneur, he urged youths to be steadfast in their quest for entreprenuerial success because he had experienced huge barriers himself in the topsy-turvy terrain of business. Throughout his professional experience, he has found that the most important aid for startup is networking .
Onas, an entreprenuerial motivator, said his experience in the UK has led him to conclude that there is an opportunity for those who want to engage in the emerging and thriving business areas. He said his organisation is helping young people with practical support around careers, interview techniques, employability skills and CV workshops, adding that participating entrepreneurs would be offered real-life inspiration about the possibilities of setting up their own businesses by sharing their own entrepreneurial backgrounds and stories.
The vision of his organisation, he noted, is better living for all by championing entrepreneurship and encouraging youths to engage in value-adding operations.
Country Representative, Merdian Entrepreneurs Society, UK, Mrs Kafayat Ajuwon, said the organisation provides start up loans.
She said her organisation has created an online platform where intending entrepreneurs can upload their ideas and find investors to fund their businesses.
The online platform,according to her, helps to pitch entrepreneurs to venture-capital investors.
She said described the online portal as a matchmaking site, where people can list their needs, interact with potential mentors.
Basically, she said meridian entrepreneurs creates an avenue for networking, growing a business and starting a new business through offering various seminars such as business idea development, social media marketing, business planning, branding, mentoring and all other business needs among like-minded people.
Youth Analyst, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Mike Nwoseh said his organisation had been very innovative in its approach to building entrepreneurship capacities among youths.