Graduates must develop skills to end unemployment – Don

A lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Professor Emmanuel Raymond, is urging Nigerian universities to prioritize skills development over traditional certificates to address the nation's high unemployment rate. He argues that graduating students with "workable skills" is key to ending unemployment and fostering self-reliance.

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job creation efforts will achieve little without a skilled workforce capable of sustaining them.

Professor Raymond emphasized that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) provides the practical knowledge and technical expertise necessary for gainful employment and sustainable livelihoods. He stated that job creation efforts will falter without a skilled workforce capable of sustaining them, and that skills development must align with industry needs to ensure graduates are employable and contribute to economic growth.

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skills development must be aligned with industry needs to ensure graduates are employable and able to contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

During the university's 131st Inaugural Lecture, titled "The Marriage Between TVET and Job Creation: Let No Man Put Asunder," Raymond likened TVET to the "bride" that provides skills and competence, while job creation is the "groom" offering economic opportunities. He warned that overlooking technical and vocational education will continue to produce graduates ill-equipped for the labor market, thereby hindering national job creation initiatives. He also noted the widespread problem of unemployment across Nigerian families, highlighting a preference for office jobs over hands-on trades, and advocating for the embrace of TVET as a practical solution.

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we want you instead of using pen, you use tools and machines to work