Employees of Keystone Bank Limited have empowered 40 Nigerian youths by enrolling them on a digital skills training programme.
The beneficiaries, who are university undergraduates, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and fresh graduates, were impacted with digital skills consisting of web development, designs and digital marketing. They underwent a six-week intensive training session facilitated by ADE Digital Media Limited.
The initiative tagged, “The Keystone Bank Digital Skills Training Programme” was executed under the bank’s Employees Volunteering Scheme (EVS).
The project, hinged on the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar, youth empowerment, addressed the current need for job creation and the acquisition of the skills of the future.
Expressing the importance of digital skills in Nigeria, Izore Bamawo, Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Keystone Bank, spoke on the need for Nigerians especially tech-savvy millennials and Gen-Zs to acquire a digital skill as it is currently one of the most sought-after skills across the globe.
“In recent years, digital skills have gained a huge level of popularity. Technology has been utilized to provide innovative solutions to everyday problems. As a result, the skill has become lucrative thereby creating wealth and job opportunities for players in the digital/technology ecosystem.
“Many Nigerian youths have also embraced the skill and are churning out disruptive technological innovations thereby leading to job creations and business opportunities.
“At Keystone Bank, youth empowerment is an important aspect of our CSR activities. We are particularly passionate about positively impacting the Nigerian youths. We will continue to contribute towards youth empowerment because we truly believe that educating, empowering and developing the Nigerian youths will have a fundamental positive impact on our development as a nation.
“Hence, we embarked on this initiative and we could not be more pleased and proud to see the impact of the programme on the beneficiaries. The digital skill has exposed them to relevant job opportunities which will contribute to a reduction in Nigeria’s unemployment rate and ultimately improving the nation’s economic growth,” Bamawo said.
The Keystone Bank Employee Volunteering Scheme is an integral part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility strategy which encourages the employees of the bank to be involved in voluntary socially impactful activities.
The scheme leverages the bank employees’ skills, time and donations in positively impacting the social needs of the communities where it operates.
Keystone Bank is a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering convenient and reliable solutions to its customers.