In demonstration of its commitment to youth development in Nigeria, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) has kicked off the 2018 edition of‘Youth Empowered’, a training workshop designed to equip Nigerian youths with Life and Business skills for their personal development and help them transition to meaningful employment.
The first workshop in a series of Youth Empowered workshops for 2018, commenced in Ibadan on April 24 and was rounded off on April 26 amidst excitement from youths in the city and other neigbhouring states.
Limited(NBC), Ekuma Eze; Public Affairs Manager, Lagos & West, Nigerian
Bottling Company Company Ltd(NBC), Ifeoma Okoye; Commissioner for Youth
and Sports, Oyo state, Abayomi Oke and Key Account Manager, Nigerian
Bottling Company Limited(NBC), Chinelo Michael during the kick-off of
the second edition of the NBC/Coca-Cola Hellenic Youth Empowered
workshop held in Ibadan last Wednesday.
Speaking on the importance NBC attached to the 2018Youth Empowered program, Managing Director of the Company, Mr. George Polymenakos said the initiative was part of the company’s intervention programs for the youth which is geared towards discovering their potential and providing them with the right skills needed in today’s work environment. He noted that it was imperative for the youth to take advantage of this unique opportunity by engaging business leaders and mentors who will be present to offer them essential business skills that would help them succeed in contemporary business environment.
”As a business we remain committed to providing platforms that would assist the youths in channeling their energy and talents towards a productive cause, hence the introduction of this initiative.We believe this programme would go a long way to help the youth and young entrepreneurs sharpen their business skills and expertise in different profession. Furthermore, the initiative would help tackle the alarming rate of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria as learnings from the training will get the youths better prepared to create jobs for themselves,” he added.
Speaking on day-one of the workshop in Ibadan, Oyo state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Honourable Abayomi Oke commended Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and the Coca-Cola Hellenic for the laudable initiative which he noted would greatly improve the skill set of the youth and make them more employable while also inspiring them to become entrepreneurs. He noted that the Youth Empowered initiative is in line with Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s youth centric leadership in the state. He urged participants to take full advantage of the unique opportunities to gain insight and also network, prepare for the challenges of the future.
The high point of this year’s editionis the introduction of the‘Business Ideas Competition’. Winners of the Competition will undergo another specialized training using the UNIDO/HP LIFE curriculum and thereafter have companies incorporated for them to actualize the winning bankable business ideas, with funding from development partners.
The 2018 NBC Youth Empowered is designed to take participants through workshops in Ibadan, Benin, Kaduna and Enugu, with a view to helping them discover themselves, understand their strengths and developmental opportunities, as well as provide them a platform for meaningful interaction with business leaders and mentors. The trainings would take place physically for 3-days and also online via the virtual digital hub where registered subscribers can experience a world of content to build life and business skills.