From Magnus Eze, Enugu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been advised to tap into the benefits of the Igbo apprenticeship system in tackling the scourge of youth unemployment in Nigeria.
Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines Limited, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo spoke at the sidelines of a public book presentation by The Sun Publishing Limited in Abuja.
According to the foremost entrepreneur, the apprenticeship scheme has the potential to positively engage many youths, making them self-reliant within the lifetime of the Tinubu administration.
Okonkwo had sponsored a study at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Business School on reinvigorating the Igbo apprenticeship scheme as a tool for mass employment.
He stated that the outcome of the study indicated that the system is still a viable option to addressing unemployment, noting that UNIZIK Business School will be willing to let any group that needs further information on the study to have access to the final report.
For Okonkwo, with proper policy administration, the scheme could be adapted to modern trends and used to engage youths towards a self-reliant future.
He explained that engaging youths at the point of graduation and attaching them to their trades of interest would empower them with the relevant skills to live by.
“When a youth is engaged as an apprentice, he not only learns the nitty gritty of the trade type or how to buy and sell, but also character formation as well as resource management skills.
“Don’t forget that a young boy that is engaged to a trade master, who teaches him how to trade, is also learning how to manage financial resources; he will learn aspects of home management and when he grows to become the head apprentice, he also learns how to manage human resources.
“Apprenticeship will also expose him to the knowledge of banking and stock management and supply chain management. He will learn bookkeeping and product sourcing. He will also be introduced to his master’s business partners abroad, thus improving his network. If he is interested in transportation and is attached to a transporter, he will learn every aspect of the business, including fleet management, spare parts sourcing and management, etc. The benefits are huge and interestingly, these are some of the subjects that people pay millions of naira to learn in business schools here and abroad. So, you see that even an apprentice who goes to learn welding has much more to learn than cutting and welding irons.
“I will suggest that President Tinubu looks into this practice which has created quality and valuable human capital for our country as an avenue to tackle unemployment by creating a system of policy administration whereby graduates can be attached to businesses that are registered and willing to absorb these graduates to improve on their skills. You will be amazed at what the outcome will be.” Okonkwo described as heartwarming reports that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was considering adopting the system to help improve the quality of lawyers.
Okonkwo said: “You will see what the legal practice sector will churn out in a few more years if the NBA gets through with their plan to adopt the scheme. By attaching young lawyers to undergo apprenticeship under very senior and ageing lawyers, the NBA would have succeeded in impacting positively on the legal profession by helping produce more quality lawyers.”