700 undergraduates of the University of Ibadan (UI) have had their skills sharpened by the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), maker of Coca Cola, non-alcoholic beverage drink. The company helped the students develop skills in entrepreneurship, life and networking skills.
It was at a two-day workshop, under the company’s Youth Empowered Initiative, which is to prepare the students to start their own businesses and for meaningful employment drive.
The initiative is part of NBC’s commitment to give back to its host communities through empowerment of the youths and training of students in various skills.
The skills of no fewer than 700 undergraduates of the University of Ibadan (UI) have been sharpened by the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), maker of Coca Cola, non-alcoholic beverage drink, in entrepreneurship, life and networking skills.
It was at a two-day workshop, under the company’s Youth Empowered Initiative, which is to prepare the students to start their own businesses and for meaningful employment drive.
The initiative is part of NBC’s commitment to give back to its host communities through empowerment of the youths and training of students in various skills.
While flagging off the workshop at the institution’s Large Lecture Theatre (LLT), the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, commended the company for the novel initiative to assist in preparing the students for life outside the school environment and to harness their potentials.
She urged participants to take advantage of the unique opportunity by applying themselves to further learning throughout the duration of the workshop, saying: “This is a unique opportunity which you must take full advantage to upscale your skills and knowledge.”
The don added: “It is an opportunity of a lifetime, which may be difficult to come by again in the future. You have to make use of the two-day workshop and apply the principles learned to your life. I am confident that if you look back in five years’ time, you would appreciate the decision you have taken today to be part of this programme considering the impact it would have had on your career, life endeavour or business.”
On her part, the Sustainability and Community Affairs Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, Ifeoma Okoye, described the initiative as one of the channels that NBC employs to empower young Nigerians to succeed in life.
However, Okoye stated that the campus version of the Youth Empowered Initiative was tailored to help undergraduates to achieve their career or lifelong ambitions by providing them with relevant guidance, support and mentorship as they transit from school into world of work or meaningful employment or self-employment.
The modules, she noted, covered in the intensive two-day training range from project and time management to business planning, negotiation, financial literacy skills, communication and sales skills.
According to her, NBC introduced the undergraduate campus version of the youth empowered programme to bridge the gap in skill training and acquisition.
“We noticed that most of the students in tertiary institutions found it difficult to attend the workshops being held across different states. Now, we are bringing this programme to their doorsteps. We are optimistic that this would mark a life-changing experience for them given that it would enable them to learn new things outside the school’s curricula,” Okoye added.
According to Public Affairs and Communications Director for NBC, Ekuma Eze, institutions that have so far benefitted from the campus edition of the youth empowered initiative across the country; include Obafemi Awolowo University; First Technical University, Ibadan; Bowen University, Iwo in Osun State; Lead City University, Ibadan; and Mountain Top University, Ogun State, among others.
Meanwhile, the Dean, Faculty of Arts of the university, Prof. Afis Oladosu, expressed gratitude to the company for choosing the institution for the workshop, describing the initiative as commendable, as it has a great chance of helping the students to discover themselves and be creative in their approach to learning.
He also urged the students to make good use of the opportunity, noting that he was convinced that the workshop would impact greatly on their future endeavour.
