CALABAR — The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has charged students of the institution to take entrepreneurial training seriously in order to be self-reliant after graduation.
Obi gave the charge on Thursday in Calabar during a symposium organised by the Entrepreneurial Development Centre (EDC) to appraise students performance on skills acquisition.
The event, which was held at the university’s International Conference Centre, had in attendance thousands of students from all the departments of the institution.
The VC said that the EDC training was designed to prepare students to become employers of labour, so as to combat unemployment in the country by showcasing what their hands can do aside their certificates.
According to her, in view of the few available white-collar jobs in the country, it was important for students of the institution to take the training seriously.
She mentioned the training areas in the centre to include, fish farming, make-up, photography, poultry, baking, shoemaking, hat, and facilitators among others.
“In the next few years, I would actually love to see these students as chief executives of their own businesses and companies and as employers of labour.
“I would be proud as VC to visit them in their places of business and hear their stories. I want to see the students leaving a fulfilled life, rather than trekking the streets of the country looking for white-collar jobs.
“The jobs are no longer there because the government can no longer absorb the millions of students that graduate each year. The students on their own need to acquire some basic skills that will make them self-reliant.
“I have advised the students to forego alot of comfort for today and be more futuristic by planning for tomorrow; if they are committed and passionate about learning these skills, they will do well out there,” she said.
On her part, the Director of EDC, Prof. Christy Ikpeme, said that the increasing rate of inflation and perceived hardship in the country has increased the percentage of unemployment in the country.
Ikpeme noted that the over-dependence of graduates on white-collar jobs over the years has led to the saturation of the unemployment pool in the country.
“Consequently, in a bid to decongest and reduce the unemployment rate in the country, the National University Commission in 2011, directed universities to establish Entrepreneurial Development Centres.
“The objective was to equip the students with adequate capacity that will enable them to become sustainable business owners, employers of labour, and therefore, become major economic contributors.
“The EDC under the administration of Prof. Obi has undergone a massive renovation and overhauling of its facilities, such that the center has very comfortable and functional training environment.
“Prof. Obi has redesigned the curriculum to address obvious gaps in the previous curriculum. Our students can access loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria intervention funds for entrepreneurs and youths at a single-digit interest rate.
“Also, with a view to strengthening the centre, the university entered into a partnership with South-South Entrepreneurship Development Centre and also engaged very competent and certified professionals as training partners,” she said.
A representative from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Aniefiok Umoren, said that with the high number of graduates coming out from higher institutions yearly, it has become necessary for the students to acquire self employable skills.
Umoren said that the contributory aspect of CBN is to fight unemployment and grow the economy through funding businesses.
He advised the students to take the training seriously and identify areas where they can excel.
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