EU, UNDP Take NJFP Jobs Drive to Warri, Push for Graduate Retention

The state-wide engagement brought together NJFP fellows and host organisations, with discussions centred on the programme’s impact, skills development and the need to ensure that opportunities created for young graduates translate into sustainable careers.

The engagement is part of the ongoing NJFP 2.0 programme, a Federal Government initiative supported by the European Union and implemented by UNDP to improve the employability of Nigerian graduates and connect them with practical work opportunities. ([UNDP][1])

At the Warri meeting, Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau Chief Job Creation Officer, Comrade Ifeanyi Egwunyenga, stressed the need to preserve the gains of the programme beyond the fellowship period.

He urged fellows to document their experiences and share them through the programme’s “My NJFP Story” platform, arguing that first-hand accounts could demonstrate the impact of the initiative and help strengthen the case for continued investment by development partners and other funders.

Egwunyenga also challenged organisations hosting the fellows to look beyond the fellowship period and consider retaining young professionals who have demonstrated value within their workplaces.

The emphasis on retention comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s continuing struggle to move young graduates from education into stable employment.

NJFP was created to help bridge that gap by giving graduates practical workplace experience through paid placements. The programme says its 12-month placements are designed to provide hands-on experience, skills development, mentorship and exposure to the demands of the labour market.

The Warri engagement therefore goes beyond a routine meeting with fellows. It places the question of what happens after the fellowship at the centre of the programme’s sustainability.

For host organisations, the programme presents an opportunity to identify and develop young professionals whose skills can contribute to their operations.

With the programme now in its second phase, the message from the Warri engagement is clear: placing graduates in organisations is only the beginning; turning those placements into lasting careers is the bigger test.