In an employable skills test conducted by employers of labour recently in Lagos, most of the corps members have through their performances justified claims that most graduates are not employable.

The corps members proved this at a job fair organised by New Horizons Computer Learning Centre, Lagos, in collaboration with the Lagos NYSC at the Main Auditorium of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where corps members were subjected to a live job interview session as part of the exit programmes for the batch.

At the end of the live interview that featured five corps members from shortlisted entries of over 1,500 applicants, Mr. Olubiyi Ogundipe, a First Class graduate of Chemical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) emerged as the only applicant qualified for employment with New Horizons as ICT teacher.

Ogundipe who was presented a letter of employment on the spot by Mrs. Dan-Abia came first in the live interview session watched by other corps members with a total of 14 points while the other four candidates had 11, 8, 7 and three marks respectively.

The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier Nnamdi Okore-Affia while speaking to the outgoing Batch B 2012 corps members through the Director, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs. Mary Dan-Abia, said corps members should get set for their next lines of action after their passing out parade slated for today.

According to him, the present practice of NYSC is in line with the ongoing reforms of the 40 years old scheme which has the mandate to develop the spirit of self development, reliance, and entrepreneurship of corps members.

"Have you asked yourselves or make up your mind on what you want to do after discharge? Ask yourselves what your visions are. What have I achieved during the service year. Was it a jamboree of sorts for 12 months? Am I ready for the employment market or ready to create wealth around myself? he asked the corps members.

He explained that if they cannot answer the above questions honestly, then they still have a lot of thinking and planning to do, maintaining that life outside the camp will only favour those who are prepared.

On her part, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi while explaining the purpose of the job fair said, the pioneer live job interview organised for the Corps members was basically to further prepare them for future challenges, stressing that those who are able to attend the interview test would see firsthand the nitty-gritty of job interview and also prepare them as employer of labour.

According to Adeyemi, the job fair would be a symbolic annual event to mark end of the service year for corps members in the state and to create a platform for those not cutout for vocational skills to secure immediate job opportunities with employers of labour at the ceremony.

The Managing Director, New Horizons Computer Learning Centres, Mr. Tim Akano tasked corps members on the need to acquire additional expertise in the Information and communications Technology in order to remain relevant in the global ICT driven job market.

He enumerated such fields to include project management, e-business skill, oracle skill, software programming, CISCO, Adobe and security skill system in order to be relevant in problem solving chain in organization.

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