Students have been advised to embrace professional education and develop multiple skills from an early age to improve their career prospects in an increasingly competitive global economy.
The advice was given by Dr. Deji Awobotu, Chief Executive Officer of ADRAC Professional Services Consulting, during the third edition of the Youth Capacity Building and Empowerment Programme organised by the Finance and Business Online Publishers (FiBOP) in Lagos.
Speaking on the need for young people to prepare themselves for future opportunities, Awobotu urged students to become multi-tasking and acquire competencies beyond their regular academic studies.
According to him, professional courses, particularly in finance and related disciplines, can provide young people with a strong foundation for career advancement and entrepreneurship.
He noted that employers increasingly seek individuals who possess a blend of academic knowledge, professional qualifications and practical skills, stressing that early exposure to professional education would give students a competitive advantage in the labour market.
Awobotu encouraged participants to take advantage of opportunities available through training programmes, digital platforms and professional development initiatives to broaden their knowledge and prepare for future leadership roles.
The event, themed “Digital Skills, Artificial Intelligence, Online Safety, Insurance and Financial Literacy for Nigerian Youth,” also featured a presentation by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Consultant, Okoi Ubi, who highlighted the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on education, business and professional practice.
Ubi urged students to embrace AI and leverage its numerous opportunities to improve their studies, develop careers and create wealth.
He explained that AI is now being deployed across virtually every sector of the economy, including journalism, law, medicine, architecture and accounting, making it essential for young people to acquire digital skills.
The ICT consultant, however, advised students to verify information generated by AI tools and avoid indiscriminate copying and pasting of content without proper validation.
“Don’t copy and paste information given to you by AI. Always endeavour to verify and use the information depending on what you want,” he said.
He also warned against using AI for criminal activities, stressing that technology should be deployed responsibly and ethically.
Earlier, FiBOP President, Charles Onwuatogwu, welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of quality education, digital literacy and skills acquisition in national development.
He urged students to take advantage of learning opportunities that would prepare them for the future and enable them to contribute meaningfully to society.
The programme featured an interactive question-and-answer session during which participants engaged the resource persons on issues relating to artificial intelligence, career development, digital innovation and financial literacy.
Three students were rewarded with cash prizes at the end of the event for their insightful questions and demonstrated eagerness to learn.
The FiBOP Youth Capacity Building and Empowerment Programme is part of the association’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative aimed at promoting digital skills, AI awareness, online safety, insurance education and financial literacy among Nigerian youths.
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