YOUTH AND SKILL ACQUISITION

Unemployment in Nigeria has been worsened by the recent decline in the country’s economy. A lot of people have been laid off, while new jobs were not created. Nigeria is one of the West African countries that is struggling with the challenges of unemployment, and these have been a big issue to the youth, especially graduates who felt that after school life will be easy. Most of the Nigerian citizens or 95% who went to school believe that going to school is the only way of having better future. To make it in life or to earn a good living is not about the certificate, but the skill acquired.

In the last three to four decades such belief that life after school becomes better is self-evidence, but now the reverse is the case due to poor leadership and high level of corruption in the country. The failure of the government to perform their constitutional duties has resulted in the high level of unemployment and youth restiveness.

There are many skills in Nigeria such as woodwork and carpentry, welding and fabrication, tailoring and fashion design, shoe making and electronics repairing, and water treatment, etc., that the youth can go for, and after acquiring the skills, they can open a small workshop and earn a good living. In my opinion, skills acquisition will be the best solution and there is a need for youth to acquire skills.

Skill is the brick from which the foundation of our future life is built. Skills determine the quality of life. The dynamic course of life requires us to acquire skills and skill development. In childhood, we learn with pleasure, but becoming older, we lose this enthusiasm. Someone is afraid to start something new.

It is never too late to develop the right skills. Do not create artificial barriers and thereby close the further development of your life. Skilled acquisition opens new opportunities; that is why we need to learn something new, practice and become experts. Skill acquisition is a key, which opens all doors.