There is no issue that should be addressed as a matter of urgent national importance towards development other than that of skills acquisition, considering the current failure of our basic education to yield the expected positive results. This has led to attendant consequences such as armed robbery, militancy, kidnapping and a host of others.
Through this Platform, we have provided a springboard for young people from diverse disciplines within our society to hear from the excelled and established of our time, birthing in them a greater vision for life and inspiring them to greater heights as they scale the ladder of success. It is safe to say that Statistics show that in Nigeria today, there are over TEN million unemployed graduates roaming the streets, prone to crime and almost hopeless. A one day Interactive Session and Motivation Seminar Event like the RISE NATIONAL YOUTH FORUM that attracts at least 50 000 participants annually, cannot solve the teeming problems of illiteracy, despair and unemployment faced by the average Nigerian Youth. It is also a known truth that seminars in Nigeria have become abused, over-circulated and tiring. While the Presentation’s Content delivered by our Guest Speakers are top notch laced with valid illustrations using true life stories of other Nigerians who have risen above obstacles existent in our Environment to inspire, challenge and realign the thoughts and aspirations of the participants with Life’s purpose, it may achieve some temporary result emanating from passion and motivation but the question then becomes, after that one day Seminar, WHAT’S NEXT?
Each year, only 40,000 out of the 400,000 Nigerian graduates who passed out of the NYSC scheme get jobs. Furthermore, only 20 percent of the 40,000 graduates who get employed are in a desired place of work.
Embarking on this campaign has revealed that many young Nigerians are confused and out of focus of what they can do after leaving the University if they do not get the so-called “WHITE COLLAR JOBS”, because they have no knowledge of the importance of Skill Acquisition and how it provide them limitless financial freedom if they combine Skill with Formal Education. These amongst other salient issues were the challenges the 2014 session was put together to address.
The sole aim of the campaign was to position the youths to take advantage of the Next Most Productive Sectors of the Nigerian Economy which are ENTERTAINMENT + AGRICULTURE + TECHNOLOGY. (EAT)
We believe that reward for excellence in our Education System, with more attention in the area of Vocational Skill Training can inspire better performance that will strategically position Young Nigerians as worthy of viable employment or entrepreneurial support.
In 2016, Rise Networks is committed to remain focused on addressing this unemployment menace that has enveloped the Nigerian State. The 2016 THEME: SKILLING UP THE YOUTHS AND EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESSES FOR A NIGERIA BEYOND OIL which is centred on the EAT (Entertainment + Agriculture + Technology) campaign and other features which will see Young People answering questions on specific subjects relating to Nigeria’s over dependency on Oil, ideas on Job creation for Youths, opportunities in Non Oil and informal sectors amongst others, that will help young people to make the right decisions on Career, Business and Life.
RISE National Youth Forum is themed to engender SME creation and Enterprise Building in Nigerian Youth and this is hinged on the present high unemployment rate in the country and the dearth of white collar jobs.
THE PROGRAM FORMAT
This Program will host about 50 000 Students from 10 Tertiary Institutions around Nigeria in a day-long Session in each Location over a period of 10weeks. The Program’s features are broken down as follows:
1. THE SEMINAR on ENTERTAINMENT – AGRICULTURE – TECHNOLOGY = EAT
The idea of the EAT Model is to teach young Nigerians to embrace radical change and innovation in preparation for the diversification of Nigeria’s Economy. If Nigeria’s Oil dries up today, these 3 Areas are the major sectors that can guarantee the highest level of employment and Revenue as much as Oil and the barriers of entry into these Industries are pretty low. We also discovered that the dependency rate on these sectors are considerably high, they are globally recognized in terms of their contributions to improved livelihoods and our GDP, the local industries within these sectors have managed to amass some fair level of credibility and access to structured financing, mentoring and technical support is also abound for them within the Country, Africa and the World Over.
2. THE SKILL ACQUISITION QUIZ COMPETITION
The Quiz Competition will see Young People slug it out answering questions on specific subjects relating to Nigeria’s over dependency on Oil, ideas on Job creation for Youths, opportunities in Non Oil and informal sectors amongst others. The perspectives shared by the Debaters, Mentors and Participants in the audience will be used as feedback to influence policy within Government and Private Sector.
This segment of the program is poised to help Students, young professionals and Job Seekers see the need to be versatile in their Career Choices and move from being job seekers to becoming the most relevant choices of Employers or ultimately Entrepreneurs.
3. THE SKILL BASED SUCCESS STORIES
This segment allows the participants to engage and listen to existing young entrepreneurs who run skill oriented Businesses and are making a success of their Ventures. The Youth Entrepreneurs-in-focus will share insights on their challenges and lessons on how they empower themselves financially as much as they do same for others by providing employment and contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s economy. These testimonies are a true reflection of the importance of skill acquisition in eradicating unemployment amongst Nigerian Youths.
4. THE NIGERIAN STUDENT LEADER’S PRIZE
This Prize is to recognize outstanding Leaders amongst Students who are nominated by their peers for their sterling Leadership Qualities, Integrity and exemplary character in line with the best Traditions in Politics. We realize that a Sizeable number of our current Leaders at various Levels of Governments have strong antecedents of Student Unionism and we are convinced that the recognition of stewardship of some of the most exceptional Student Leaders in Tertiary Institutions and further provide them with. This will improve their Leadership consciousness and act as a catalyst in pre-positioning them for greater involvement in entrenching a culture of accountability, integrity, probity and sustainability in the political system as they aspire for higher office in the future. The NSLP’s long term goal is to create momentum for development of a new breed of visionary, accountable leaders as change champions and democrats in Nigeria.
Aside from receiving the Prize, The NSLP will bring all the students-in-executive-school position’ Winners from different Universities to a weeklong Training Program in order to bring them up to speed on the importance of their roles and equip them with the requisite skills and training to achieve their full potential and drive a sustainable social agenda that advances youth engagement in the socio-political development of Nigeria. Some of them will also get the opportunity of Internships and attachments with leading Non-Profits, Donor Agencies, Civil Society and Labour Movements, relevant Government Institutions and State/Federal Legislatures after receiving the Prize.