Employment clinic CEO, Princess Kosoko sets stage for government to unlock vast Maritime job potential for young graduates
Employment clinic CEO, Princess Kosoko sets stage for government to unlock vast Maritime job potential for young graduates
Titi Adeleke
The Founder, Employment Clinic and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Maritime Innovations Hub, Princess Ronke Kosoko has called on the government to put in place programmes that would bring about practical job creation for young graduates in the maritime sector.
She made the call at the just concluded UNILAG-EMPLOYMENT CLINIC event with the theme “Blue Career Insights”.
Speaking at the one day event held at the Tayo Aderinokun Hall at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Princess Kosoko said that unlocking the vast potential in job creation was a function of strategic planning and management, noting that her company is working with the government to achieve the set goals.
She stated that the Unilag-Employment Clinic Education to Employment Transition Programme was aimed at practically placing UNILAG Graduates into jobs right as they stepped out of school.
She added that the clinic would further ignite conversations and actions that would enhance the competitiveness of Unilag graduates and undergraduates.
Her words, “It would align private sector investors with readily available manpower to drive their business goals and aspirations within the Nigerian economy and further bring together decision makers in order to spark dialogue on a long neglected value chain within the education–employment space”.
She disclosed that the first Employment Clinic event was held on UNILAG campus in 2009 and in 2010 after which she stepped into the industry.
She quipped that in 2013, she was called upon by the Federal Government through the NSDP programme to help facilitate job placements for Nigerian cadets on foreign seagoing vessels and about 2,530 placements were secured.
Speaking further, the Clinic boss added that in 2017, her company was part of the delegation to South Africa, sponsored by Ford Foundation to replicate back in Nigeria the Education to Employment Transition Programme in the country placing 50,000 young graduates annually.
According to her, in 2022, her company held a summit for leaders across all the local governments in Lagos, bringing them up to speed about opportunities for job creation within the sector.
Also speaking at the event, His Excellency, the Honorable Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, in his keynote address, said the maritime sector offered tremendous opportunities for young people to maximize their potentials and urged the students to find placements in the various agencies after school.
UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Professor Folashade Ogunsola, thanked the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy for gracing the occasion with his esteemed presence and particularly praised Princess Kosoko, an alumni of the great institution for coming to give back to her alma-mater through the event.
The Vice Chancellor welcomed the students to the Employment Clinic and urged them to avail themselves of the opportunities that abound in the maritime sector after their studies.
During the Panel session, the Co-founder of Transit Truck Park, Mr. Jama Onwubuariri and a Maritime Consultant, Mr. Fadipe Moses urged the students to take advantage of the opportunities that are in the maritime sector to flourish.
Key stakeholders including the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, NPA, Mrs. Vivian Richard-Edet who represented the former Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, barely twenty four hours before his removal from office, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Studies, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa, Team Leader UNILAG -OCDS, Dr. Ayodele Shittu, and students from across faculties and departments, attended the program.
