Stop Waiting For White-Collar Jobs, Stakeholders Urge Youths

Nigerian youths have been urged to engage in vocational skill learning, which can make them self-reliant rather than waiting for white-collar opportunities.

Stakeholders stated this in Abuja on Friday at the maiden edition of the social impact project of GemHunt 2.0, organised by Bilaad Development Trust, a non-profit initiative aimed at addressing contemporary social issues.

The event featured young, dynamic, and promising entrepreneurs who are not only determined to scale their existing business ideas but have their eyes on the prize, courtesy of Bilaad Development Trust.

Speaking at the event a physically challenged entrepreneur focused on making leather footwear, Dorcas Benjamin, advised the people living with disabilities not to depend on begging.

She urged them to seek out opportunities to build capacity and make a meaningful impact.

Also speaking, an elated winner of the star prize, Elizabeth Omolabake, who came from Lagos to participate, said it is an opportunity to help her scale her business.

Omolabake said: “First, it encouraged me to keep putting in the work, to keep proving that made-in-Nigeria products stand for quality.”

The co-coordinating Trustee for Bilaad Development Trust, Sadiq Suleiman Abdullahi, said the group set up the platform primarily to give back to the society, saying “Our three focal areas are entrepreneurship, education and change advocacy.

Abdullahi, however, advised the young Nigerians to not rely on anyone to give them a job, adding; “If you spend your first six months and you don’t get a job, please, learn a skill.’’