The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has said that the maritime industry will create job opportunities for youths in the country.
The Minister said this at an education to employment transition program held at the University of Lagos. The event with the theme “Blue Career Insights”, was organised by the university and Employment Clinic.
Oyetola said that the current administration places high premium on education, and since conventional approaches have yielded minimal impacts, the Ministry would explore new and innovative ways to tackle age long problems in educational institutions.
“In this regard, there will be training programs and certifications by the private sector to equip youths with the necessary skills for various maritime careers, exchange programs between Nigerian universities and international maritime institutes to expose Nigerian students to global best practices and advanced technologies,” he said.
He also said that the government would award scholarships to students pursuing maritime studies to ensure access to quality education and training.
He urged Nigerian youths to explore the opportunities in the industry, pursue their passions, contribute to the growth and development of the blue economy and be good ambassadors of the university.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, said the program was initiated to equip the students with employability skills and to reduce graduate unemployment in the country.
She urged the students to be attentive and make good use of the opportunity before them.