Report on The Entrepreneurial Seminar Organized by Federal Polytechnic Ede Alumni Association
The Alumni Association sees promoting self-reliance and being independent as an objective to raising a new generation of micro-entrepreneurs with business intelligence among the graduates and students of The Federal Polytechnic Ede. In line with this objective, the association under the leadership of Shittu B. Olaleye and his team on the 16th of August 2017, organized a day free training/workshop program tagged “PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET AND ENHANCING CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT.” The seminar targeted at the final year students of the polytechnic to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge was supported and powered by a United Kingdom-based company, AACLE International. The resources persons at the seminar include Femi Ademola (Executive Director, BGL Capital Limited), Olufunsho Popoola (Assistant Manager, Training and Partnership CBN, EDC Southwest), Sheriff Adekoya of Edgeforth Business Solutions and many other distinguished speakers.
The FPE Alumni National President, Shittu B. Olaleye in his opening remark disclosed that “the trend and tide of occurrences as justified by the existing economic and social statistics have shown us the direction through which our energy and resources be expended for highest possible return. It is therefore very important that students but especially graduates be exposed to skill and training that can turn them into desirable giants wherever they find themselves. Thus, practical approach to entrepreneurial, career advancement discussion and entrepreneurial mindset should be explored.”
The program of this nature is periodically put in place by the alumni association of FPE to initiate graduating students of the Polytechnic into the market environment to access relevant entrepreneurial spirit, skills, knowledge, values, and attitude after their school works. The program is also designed to prepare the final year students of the school for the labour market and empower them with basic skills they will require to survive in the highly competitive and dynamic market. Ostensibly, the programme offered packages of entrepreneurial training that responds appropriately and adequately to the labour market and the business needs of the target audience.
Adequate attention was given to the glaring lapses from the nation’s economy due to the myriad of economic glitch and challenges Nigeria faces. The association hopes that the programme can play a groundbreaking role in addressing problems of unemployment and under-employment. Social wastefulness, low productivity among others were also addressed.
The goal of the alumni association is to create a pool of skills and talents that can be tapped for national development and not to serve as a money pot to its parent organ. In attaining this, FPE alumni association reasoned and conceived that the challenges of unemployment can only be properly addressed with the involvement of entrepreneurial skill that passes through the four corners of the school’s walls.
The feedback after the seminar/training event proofs that knowledge was transferred to the participants who are willing to engage in entrepreneurial activities