By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Oba Graduate Trainee Programme (OGTP), an initiative founded by Umar Oba Adelodun
has trained and given  job placements to 21 graduates in reputable organisations.
The trainees were presented both certificates and placement letters in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Wednesday.
The founder of the initiative, Mr. Umar Oba Adelodun, said the graduate trainees went through intensive training before being qualified to be recommended to established companies for placement.
Adelodun noted that the idea of the programme was to create an incubation for youth where we train them after which we send them to organisations to learn how they structured.
He further stressed that “It is in two parts. First is the training and the curriculum cuts across project management, soft and hard skills. The second part is a six-month long paid internship and we are happy enough to have believe of various organisations like Julius Berger, BUA Group, Dele Group, KAM Holdings and hosts of other companies have taken this graduate training from us.”
Adelodun added that, “The graduates were issued training certificate and letter of placement to different organisations, that was the maiden edition and we hope to continue every year.”
The initiative chairman noted that only 21 graduates were streamlined from 421 applicants, hoping to accommodate over 100 in the next edition to be sent to different organisations. Calling the trainees ambassadors of the initiative, Adelodun charged them to act like one by upholding good work etiquette.
The Kwara State Deputy Governor, Mr.  Kayode Alabi, lauded the conveyner for his insight and innovation to engaging youths, congratulating and appealing to trainees to imbibing taking work serious as a lifestyle.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Kwara State Assembly, noted that talents are very critical for development of any society, while appreciating the convener for the noble programme.
Other dignitaries present were; Hon. Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Mrs. Damilola Yusuf-Adelodun, Hon. Commissioner for Water Resources.
One of the partners, Mr. Damilola Shittu, the Group Executive Director of HMA Medicals, described the initiative as a necessary nexus to connect the education acquired from institutions with field of work.
“One of the reasons we go to school is to learn how to connect with the world, be it people or workspace. But the problem we’ve had in Nigeria is that there is no nexus between what we study in school and the outside world. We learn so much theories without learning how to connect it with work environment. This is always a problem, and thankfully OGTP has come to solve that”, Mr. Shittu noted.
Commenting also, Aisha Indinmi-Dangote, a board member of OGTP, congratulated the graduate trainees, describing them as first set.
She further noted that, “I’m particularly glad that all our graduate trainings have gotten placements at reputable organisations. In this era where many Nigerians who have graduated for years does not have such opportunity of directly having access of getting jobs from school to placement.”
She expressed satisfation about the outcome of the programme, while congratulating the interns who spent 6 months in the course of their training.
Alabi Yusuf,  one of the interns expressed profound appreciation for being part of the training programme, noted how “the programme has really shaped my thinking and exposed me to lots of things which prior to this time I didn’t know. I’m now fully equipped to move the next stage in my life. I’ve been able to have good networking, even with the deputy governor of Kwara State. It’s amazing!”
Also, another graduate trainee,  Azizat Olajumoke Aroyehun appreciated organiser of the programme saying, “I have gained a lot from Oba Graduate Trainee Programme. I’ve learned how to build my economy, be effective in an organisation and build my career goals.”