A Chief Lecturer, Department of Mechanical of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr. Kamarudeen Adebayo Yusuff has said that youth’s involvement in vocational training and Agro-technopreneurship sector as the substantive strategy and solution to the unending unemployment rate of graduates in Nigeria.
Dr. Yusuf who made this plea while delivering his paper titled “GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS IN NIGERIA: VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND AGRO-TECHNOPRENEURSHIP AS STRATEGIC BAIL OUT.” at his 13th Inaugural Lecture delivered at the North Campus Assembly Hall, The Polytechnic, Ibadan on Wednesday.
In his speech, he described unemployment in Nigeria as an alarming and increasing pandemic and matter of urgent concern which has overtime been threatening the sec
urity, economic and social wellbeing of Nigeria Citizens. He further stated that one of the major vices contributing to the rampant criminal activities in the nation is joblessness.
He further claimed that the incorporation of vocational and entrepreneurship training programmes into technopreneurship as a necessary part of the school curriculum has helped in creating employment opportunities and even self employment through the positive manipulation and implementation of acquired skills and experience gathered from the program.
As a result of his researchable content, Dr. Yusuff revealed that according to a data of the National Bureau of Statistics 2020, Imo State located in the south eastern part of Nigeria has 48.7% rate of unemployment and stand has the highest unemployment rate in the country while Anambra state stand as the state with the least unemployment in the country with 13.1%.
He also added that the unemployment rate in the Nigeria’s Commercial capital where most graduates rushes for jobs is 19.5%, a data that shows that about 6.8million people make up the labor force population in Lagos state out of which 3.99million people are fully employed and another 1.5millon people are underemployed adding that as at the end of the second quarter (Q2) of 2020, Nigeria’s unemployment and underemployment rate is combined to 55.7%
He noted Australia, Germany, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, and United Kingdom as countries that put vocational training and education as an important part of their educational system.
Using The Polytechnic, Ibadan as an example, He categorically stated 15 registered vocational skilled trades including Barbing, Beading Works, Cosmetology, Website Designing, GSM Repairs, Modern Car Repairs and other trades done by students of the institution and gave a detailed analysis of students that registered in the space of 2015 to 2017.
In the second sectoral phase of his presentation, he also reeled out the strategy of how venturing in viable agriculture can help reduce drastically, the rising unemployment crisis in Nigeria.
Dr. Yusuff who maintained that he’s a proud alumnus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan who graduated as the Overall best student of the institution in 1987 added that the institution made him what he is today.
The 13th inaugural lecture was made colorful with the attendance of the Chairman, Governing Council, Prof. Kunle Akinyemi, Rector of the institution, Prof. Kazeem Adebiyi, Members of the governing council, members of the management team of the institution, The Public Relations Officer, Alh. Soladoye Adewole, Technocrats, Engineers, Mentees, Family, Members of Staff, Students, Friends and well wishers.
