Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its intention to ensure skills acquisition for post-NYSC graduates through the Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) as part of the strategies to address unemployment among the youth in Lagos State.
Hon. Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, Commissioner, Wealth Creation and Employment, disclosed this at the Press Conference on the Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) held at the Ministry in Alausa.
Hon. Ajigbotafe stated that the programme is aimed at bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical work skills thus enhancing the employability of young talents.
Ajigbotafe explained that the Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) is rebranded in the ‘EMPOWER LAGOS’ Initiative targeted at uplifting the lives of 10,000 Lagosians from poverty.
He disclosed that, over three weeks, selected graduates will undergo rigorous training in employability skills which will cover essential areas such as the picture of success, understanding and making career choices, finding and securing dream jobs, basics of how to start a new business, professionalism and others towards equipping graduates with the tools needed to succeed in the modern workplace.
He continued by saying that, following the training, graduates will be placed on internship with partnering organisations for three months during which they can secure employment in the private sector.
He added that the internship will provide hands-on experience in real real-world setting allowing graduates to apply their skills and gain valuable insights into their chosen fields. The Commissioner emphasised that the Lagos State Government in collaboration with our partners and donor agencies will provide stipends to all beneficiaries graduates to enable them to focus on training and internships.
Ajigbotafe called on stakeholders to partner and support the State Government initiatives under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu so as to enhance the socio-economic development of Lagos State.
Present at the briefing were Mr. Innocent Osaghe, Managing Director, Human Capital Partners (HCP) and Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi, Managing Director, Intermac Consulting, among others.
