Graduate Guidance Group said it will continue to drive career development and enhance job creation in Nigeria by linking employers with talented Nigerian graduates from universities in the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the fifth edition of its career, alumni and networking event in Lagos, Emma Tarrant Tayou, founder of Graduate Guidance Group, said the event created a platform for alumni from participating universities to secure new roles, make new connections, and negotiate better packages.
According to Tayou, the programme provides prospective students the benefit of face-to-face interactions with university representatives, which offers them a valuable opportunity.
She described it as an opportunity for people looking for jobs, personal development and networking, as it played host to employers that are looking to fill certain positions in their companies.
Tayou said the organisation has adapted to the economic challenges, such as inflation and forex issues, by offering alternative study options like overseas campuses in Dubai and Malaysia.
Despite forex challenges, she said, the demand for education remains high as Nigerians still opt for UK education despite the higher costs.
Read also: Graduate Guidance Group connects employers with graduates from UK schools
She said that UK universities are now highlighting research-intensive programmes that allow students to bring their families, which has helped mitigate the impact of the new UK government laws of travelling with dependents.
On his part, Joshua Oluwadepo, senior recruitment consultant at Jobberman, said the firm is partnering with the organisers to provide the right manpower to drive the economy.
Oluwadepo said the ‘Japa syndrome’ is affecting Nigeria’s talent retention and called on employers to offer better work-life balance and growth opportunities to retain talents.
“Employers should provide top-notch employee value propositions and enable remote work to attract and retain the best talents,” he said.
Also speaking, Tobi Odukoya, an International Alumni Ambassador for Nottingham University, said the challenging economic situation in the country has seen many young productive talents who feel there are no options for them, leaving Nigeria.
Odukoya said the programme presents an opportunity for universities to create a support system for alumni to collaborate and create awareness, and partner among them.
She said for Nigeria to reduce emigration, there is a need for alumni to collaborate and offer mutual support that creates sustainable opportunities towards boosting employment.
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