Kunle Adelabu
The Igbogbo Youth Claition, the umbrella body of youth groups in Igbogbo, has organized career talk for students of Senior Secondary School three (SSS3) in the community with the aim of guiding them in choosing the right careers.
At the event, which was held at the Oba Abdul-Semiu Orimadegun Kasali Hall, Rotary Centre, Igbogbo, on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, bursary awards, sponsored by Mr Azeez Adeyinka, were also disbursed to five beneficiaries.
Speakers at the career talk themed, ‘Choosing the right career: A step to fulfilling purpose’, were Dr Waheeed Kasali, Dr Wole Ogunyemi, Barr. Adeboye Dankuwo, Princess Adetola Ogunlewe and Dr Ayoade Olanrewaju.
Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), while welcoming the guests and students to the event, stated that the agenda of the group is to promote ad support youth development in the community.
“Igbogbo Youth Coalition is the parent body for all youth groups in Igbogbo and its encompasses people within 18 and 50 who are residents in Igbogbo, regardless of their backgrounds”, he stated.
“Our agenda is to promote and support the development of youths in Igbogbo to get them to greater heights.
“The career talk is to help in guiding our students in choosing their careers since those in the Senior Secondary Classes three would be writing various examinations into higher institutions soon.
“We have invited resourceful persons and they are going to guide you on how to choose career for a better future”, he stated.
Mr Waheed Kasali, the Director, Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), commended IYC for not only helping in shaping the future of the younger ones but also promoting friendliness among them through programmes.
“There is need for students to be armed with necessary information on the career they want to choose and this gathering is very important to help them in that regard.
“The gathering is also helping in promoting friendliness among Igbogbo students”, he stated.
The speaker, who stated that career is a life-long engagement, added that many without adequate guide had fallen victim of chosen a wrong career.
“Choosing a career is important because many had fallen into wrong professions. These are people who are not equipped with necessary information and who are not properly guided.
“Career is a profession that requires long period of training. It should be looked at as a passion for a life-long dream. It must run in your blood”, he emphasized.
While stating steps involved in choosing a career, Kasali stated that, “Students must know themselves, do proper research about available courses of interests, make decision on what to study and take action by working towards becoming what they have dreamt about”.
He also enjoined the students to do SWOT analysis ns choosing career by knowing their own Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
“Students must know what they are good at, what they cannot do, what career are available in their environment and what poses challenges to their career decision.
“It’s always key to consider job satisfaction when choosing a career instead of monetary gains. This is how to have a life-long career and stay happy”, he admonished students.
Barr. Dankwo, a Director with the National Assembly, tell participants to discover the purpose God created them for and talents in discovering themselves.
“God has deposited something in you which determines who you are and what you are.They are those things that are natural to you which you can do conveniently.
“The combination of who and what you are determine your careers”,he stated.
“Always let those things in you drive your career that will give you passion and satisfaction for a god life”, he advised.
Another speaker, Dr Ogunyemi, Assistant Director, Research innovations & Development, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, in his own discussion with the students on “Choosing the right career: A step to fulfilling purpose”, charged them to aspire higher and be mentored by those that have made it in the respective careers that they are dreaming to venture into.
“Your decision today determines where you would be in future. As students, have high aspiration index. Desire for the best, listen to news on radio and television set to hear names of people who have achieved greatly in their chosen careers, read newspapers to know people that have made it in their chosen endeavours and their influence in the society, home and abroad”.
Others that also spoke with students are Dr Ayoade Olanrewaju of the General Hospital Ikorodu who spoke on Right combination of subject in making career decision, seeking for advice and Mrs Onabanjo, Principal, Rotary Vocational Centre who talked about importance of vocational education.
Some of the schools that participated in the career talk were Zumratul Islammiyyah Grammar School, Oreyo Grammar School and Future Redeemers among others.
