THE BOOK: HOW EMPLOYABLE IS THE NIGERIAN GRADUATE?

 My new book HOW EMPLOYABLE IS THE NIGERIAN GRADUATE? seeks to solve a huge problem in Africa. Young people are plagued with several baggage that make them unemployable. In this book I have identified 7 reasons why Nigerian graduates are tagged unemployable and also proffered 7 solutions to this massive problem. THIS IS A MUST READ for everyone. It cost only 500 Naira. It is available in both electronic and hard copy. For a copy for this great book contact me on bolajijegede@gmail.com or Call me on +2348181054706, +2348032146803

CHAPTER ONE

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH NIGERIAN GRADUATES

After seven years of dealing with Nigerian graduates (as a top management employee and subsequently a business owner), I have come to the conclusion that over 90% of Nigerian graduates do not have what it takes to excel in the workplace. They display a low level of ethical conduct, low self-esteem, bad manners, indecent dress sense, and lack of willingness to work among other things.

I will share a few personal experiences. This became the motivation for writing this book so that this problem can be put out there and solutions can be sought by all parties indicted in this huge problem

In April 2014, I had finally decided to resign from my paid employment to focus fully on my own company, Pabio Stone Group (PSG). By this time PSG was three years old. It had been a one-man project as I had been planning and strategizing for the time I would get a contract and finally become my own boss.

I got a consultancy contract with a car dealing company in Victoria Island (Dominion Wheels Limited). It was a recruitment and training contract. I was to recruit and train three (3) new executive marketers for the company. This was my first contract for Pabio Stone and I was eager to execute the job so as to begin to build a profile for my company.

I billed the client only the amount I would utilize to complete the job, I did not charge any fee. I simply told the managing director of the company to give me anything he deemed fit after the job was concluded.

My wife and younger brother joined me and we did a brilliant job. The client was very impressed with our professional delivery of the job. He gave Pabio Stone an award for excellence and also a new contract to manage their fleet of cars, a portfolio of over USD 2 million. It is important to note here that the earlier contract was only $1,000 at the end of the project. Our commitment to excellence with the little had paid off.

Since I now had a bigger contract, I began to employ people. I have a desire to help provide opportunities for graduates so they can have a platform to grow their career. Little did I know my desire to help fresh graduates would soon become a nightmare.

I began to recruit in July 2014 and I had twenty five (25) graduates on my payroll by August 2014. I dismissed twelve people in a case of theft In August. Although only one or two of these people actually performed the act but investigations showed others might be complicit in hiding the identity of the perpetrator(s). I decided to let all of them go because it was clear in the company’s human resource procedure that theft is a gross misconduct for which the penalty is termination of employment contract.

In September 2014, two of the graduates who had been trained for two months and were supposed to start giving back to the company in October 2014 came to me saying they wanted to leave stating they had another job elsewhere. Leaving was not the problem but I was amazed they wanted to leave the next day. Then I asked them two simple questions:

(1)   You have been trained for the past two months (training value of about five hundred thousand naira, N500, 000) and you are supposed to start your first project for the company, what then are you giving back?

(2)   Your contract states that you should give two weeks notice before terminating your contract since you are still on probation. Why are you not following the terms of the contract?

They could not respond to any of these questions and of course they did not return back to work either. They left unethically

Also in September, one of the graduates who I had taken on the recommendation of a friend also displayed very indecent behavior. He had spent only 11 days and he had the boldness to disrespect his CEO. He said nasty words to me and actually requested for immediate payment of his 11days of work or else he would deal with me. I had to let him go also.

In the midst of all this was also the persistent late coming to work without remorse by these graduates. They give all manner of excuses and they find it offensive when you don’t buy their stories and issue them written queries.

There was another one who I had suspended twice within two months of his resumption for excessive sloppiness and lack of commitment to work. I eventually dismissed him when he showed no sign of improvement upon resumption from suspension.

By October 2014, I had let everyone go and began to think about all that had happened with a view to begin a strategic recruitment process for the company. I began to pray about this and the Holy Spirit began to speak to me about the root cause of these huge problems I was having with Nigerian graduates.

In this book, I have identified seven (7) reasons why most Nigerian graduates are not employable and also proffered seven (7) solutions to this problem.

The next eight chapters elucidates on the root causes of this problem and the solutions that will bring about the required changes we all desire.