We are pleased to announce the winners of the “Caption this Photo Contest” of the Terraskills Social Media Competition which was held from 3rd to 21st February, 2022.
Out of a total of 26 contestants that took part in the challenge, ten (10) contestants emerged as winners and are qualified for the final phase of the competition; Terraskills Merry Go Round which is scheduled to hold on Monday, 28th February, 2022 by 10am at our office; No. 14 Sunyani Street (By Keystone Bank) Wuse Zone 1, Abuja.
The 10 winners of the “Caption this Photo Contest” are as follows;
Madu Chinonso Finest
Enock Anuhjhir Henry
Nuhu Shaibu
Princess Khadijah
Immanuel Chiboy Songs
Ezenduka Cynthia Sopuruchi
Hassan Faridah
Inalegwu Ekoja
Ogunleke Ifeoluwa
Yunusa Sunday
Congratulations once again!
We look forward to hosting you for the final phase of the challenge as scheduled.
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Marvelled by Emeka’s success, Kobi, Sophia, and Faruq decided to venture into farming. They resolved to begin with Poultry farming just as Emeka did, and expand into other areas of agriculture as they grow.
If Emeka the drop-out could make it very big from poultry farming, then we can too they affirmed themselves. Upon hearing their plans, Sabinus indicated interest to partner with them.
Without good knowledge about the business, they put up their money together, bought 250 little birds and choked them in a small cage that they constructed with weak woods in their compound. “By Christmas, these birds will be ripe for sale, and we will be cashing out big”, they envisaged.
Guess what?
On the first night the birds arrived at their weak cage, 11 out of the 250 birds died of cold and 5 appeared to be infected and were gradually infecting the other birds. On the second day, 10 more birds died, and on the third day, 38 birds had died in total.
Fear gripped them, that they organized a prayer session; prayed over some oil and sprinkled the oil around the poultry for the birds’ safety; but on the following day, more birds died.
It was then they realized the need for a good knowledge of poultry health management; the need for proper lighting to keep the cage warm; a quarantine for infected birds and so on. But these, they didn’t budget for.
They managed to squeeze out money to construct a mini quarantine cage to isolate the infected birds, and also light up the cages for warmth. Soon, they started running out of funds to buy feeds for the birds, as it appeared that the only the thing the birds knew how to do was to eat non-stop and die whenever they like without pity for their owners. Soon, they started feeding the birds with just any kinds of waste food.
Withing 3 weeks, they lost 82 birds and by Christmas when they intended to sell the birds, all that remained of the 250 birds were 31.
Getting buyers for their birds became another problem as they didn’t have a good marketing plan in the beginning. In the end, they were able to sell only 9 birds at fair prices while they ended up eating the remaining 22 by themselves.
It was a huge loss and a big lesson to them.
Lesson 10: Never Be in a Rush to Start a Business Without a Good Knowledge of It.
There is nothing wrong with copying something nice but it should be done with good knowledge, as the success of any business begins with good knowledge, skills and competence to manage it. Devote adequate time to learning the ropes of a business and have a winning plan for success. Rushing into things without good knowledge and plans is as good as rushing into failure.
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On a cool Friday evening, Kobi, Faruq, and Sophia were playing Ludo under a large mango tree in their compound when their next-door neighbour, Sabinus came to them with some news.
“Guys, a new farm, called EM Farms is hiring for a variety of positions. You guys should apply and stop…… As he was speaking, Sophia interjected; “Apply to a farm? So as to be cutting grass or what?”
Sighing wearily, Sabinus responded bringing out a flyer; “no now! it’s not the kind of farm you think. It’s a very large commercial farm and as you can see the advertised positions include, Farm Manager, Business Administrator, Accountant, Procurement Officer, Quality Control Officer, among others. If no be say I no finish school, I for don apply because na graduate dem dey find”.
When the 3 saw that it was a good opportunity, they agreed to submit their applications.
Sabinus responded; “if you like don’t go on time, I already shared the opportunity with other neighbours, if dem first una get the job, na una sabi”
During the weekend, the 3 friends drafted their applications. Kobi aimed for the position of Quality Control Officer, Faruq aimed for Procurement Officer, while Sophia aimed for the role of Business Administrator.
EM Farms
The following morning, they wore their best outfits and set out for EM Farms to submit their applications, while Sabinus baby-sat Favour at home. The building was looking very small from the outside. At the reception, they were welcomed by the secretary who informed them that they would take turns to see the CEO in his office.
Sophia was the first to be ushered to CEO’s office. She couldn’t believe her eyes, when she saw the CEO. Guess who he was?
It was Emeka, her school mate and friend who dropped out of school at 200 level. “Emeka! Don’t tell me you own this company”, Sophia enquired. Of course, it’s mine Emeka responded. “You know na, as I was very broke that year, and couldn’t afford school, I kuku dropped out and started my farming business and God has been fateful. In fact, I have other branches in Enugu, and Owerri. This branch was newly opened, and am trying to employ more hands to manage the business efficiently as I will be shuttling between places”.
So how is life and your work? How is Kobi and our other friends? he asked”
The Lies
Rather than being truthful about their condition, Sophia lied; “Well I am working with erm…. First Bank, Kobi is working at an Oil company, and Faruq is working with a school. I have lost contact with others. I actually came here to inquire about your chickens, as I am interested in buying plenty chickens for…for a…. for a friend’s wedding, she stuttered.
Emeka responded to her false enquiries and sought to take her on a tour around the farm. Knowing that Emeka could see Kobi and Faruq on their way out, she hastily sent them a text message explaining the lies she told and pleading that they leave immediately.
But Faruq and Kobi missed their way on their way out, and they bumped into Emeka and Sophia.
Immediately, Sophia exclaimed, acting surprised; “so, you guys still came here to make inquiries about the fishes for Titi’s wedding…I told you I was going to handle it na…. She turned to Emeka saying, we live in the same estate, and the person getting married is our friend in the estate.
Perplexed, Kobi and Faruq played along. They exchanged pleasantries, and together, they embarked on the tour around the farm.
The Tour
They were mesmerized by the size, structure, and aesthetics of the farm. The building that appeared very small from the outside was actually very large inside. It was a prosperous farm that spanned up to 8 hectares of land, with sophisticated machineries, diverse varieties of farm animals, and vegetation flourishing in various regions.
They were stunned and wished they could go back in time and untell their lies so that they can be considered for a job in the farm. But, having begun with lies, they had no choice but to continue uttering lies in various forms and sizes.
While Emeka was seeing them off, his beautiful wife drove into the premises with their cute 2-year-old son, and yet, Sophia handed the baby N2,000 that they should have managed in a bid to live up to her lies. When Emeka asked where their cars were packed, they lied that their cars were packed far away and urged Emeka to return with his family.
The Regret
As the 3 friends walked, Kobi expressed his dissatisfaction about the lies Sophia made them tell. “This could have been a good opportunity for us, but you ruined it with your lies. Why on earth did you lie in the first place? He asked.
In a sad tune, Sophia responded, “I couldn’t bring myself to tell Emeka the dropout, Emeka the one-trouser guy who relied on us for aid back then in school, that despite our degrees, we are broke and jobless”
I never imagined that his farm could be so great until we took the tour around it. If I knew it was that porch, I wouldn’t have lied. Faruq was rather amazed as to how Emeka was able to pull up such big success within the space of 8 years that he dropped out of school.
Life indeed is not balanced, otherwise, why should a drop-out be the one employing graduates, he wondered.
When the guys returned home, they couldn’t tell Sabinus what actually happened.They lied that their application submissions went well and they are waiting to hear from the company.
They found out a week later that one of their neighbours, who Sabinus had also shared the job advert with, had gotten a job as a Business Administrator at Emeka’s farm and was offered a starting salary of N185,000 monthly.
Lesson 10: Never live a fake life with pride. It will only push away your helpers.
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The need to become tech savvy in the 21st Century can not be overemphasized. Technology is driving economic growth, creativity, and job creation in our fast-changing, hyper-connected world.
More than half of today’s jobs require some level of technical knowledge, and experts predict that demand for this expertise will skyrocket.
Here are 3 benefits of being Tech Savvy:
Enhanced Employability/Marketability
The fast-paced world of work and the proliferation of technology in the workplace means that employees must become increasingly acquainted with the use of these technologies. Employers are always keen on finding employees who are capable of measuring up to the challenge brought about by the infusion of technology.
Being tech savvy doesn’t just mean you become invaluable at work; but ensures that you fit easily to your job roles. It sure boosts your confidence and make you more valuable to your employer.
Self-Reliance
Applicants often have a glowing display of skills on their resume; one of the many skills you find is their ability to work with little or no supervision. Being able to understand, handle and become self-reliant will mean you can efficiently utilise the technology at your disposal to achieve your work functions.
Enhanced Productivity
Technology can help you focus your time elsewhere and on more important duties. There are so many project and task management applications that can help you stay on top of duties and provide visibility to management. There are systems which eliminate paperwork and help small business to save overhead cost, thus enhancing productivity.
If you are interested in becoming tech savvy, you may want to consider attending a Digital Literacy Skills course with Terraskills Learning Systems. Terraskills offers a variety of Digital Literacy Skills courses for beginners and individuals who may want to advance in technological skills.
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Following his ill gambling luck, Kobi travelled with the 3-month-old infant to Lagos to reside with his best friend Faruq while he hustled for a job. His girlfriend, Sophia was overjoyed when she learnt that Kobi had moved to Lagos. Her residence was close to Faruq’s and so she visited often and helped with the baby’s care.
Faruq was also on the search for job but sustained a living by conducting private lessons for some kids in his neighbourhood. When the 3 friends meet, they discuss about their lives, share job adverts, and apply for jobs with fate. Fortunately for Kobi, he was invited for an interview at one of the companies they all applied for.
The interview was scheduled for two days later at 10am in the company. However, none of the 3 friends was familiar with the interview location, but since it was within the same city, they assumed it would be easy to locate. Faruq advised Kobi to leave for the interview as early as 6am, but as he was speaking, their next-door neighbour, Sabinus interjected; “Haba! Why would you tell him to leave by 6am? That’s too early. Don’t you know arriving too early for an interview will give the company the impression that he is too jobless and very desperate for the job?”
They reasoned with Sabinus, and on the D-day, Kobi left the house around 9am for the interview, while Sophia babysat Favour at home.
The Experience
Kobi’s peril began when he was trapped in traffic for over 30 Minutes. At some point, alighted from the vehicle and started trekking. It was almost 10am and he wasn’t anyway near the venue. He became very tensed and was sweating profusely. After trekking for about 35 minutes, he made it through the jam and quickly hopped in another car.
Eventually, he got to the specified area, but locating the office in the area became another problem. Nobody seemed to know the office. After much suffering and spending, he finally located the office.
By the time he arrived the office, it was 10:59am and he was drained in sweat; and just after introducing himself at the reception, he was sent back. The receptionist didn’t wait to hear his explanation for coming late. She said to him; “we do not tolerate tardiness here. Therefore, I regret to inform you that you failed your interview even without doing it”
Lesson 9: Never be late for an interview.
Always research and be acquainted with your interview venue before your interview.
Exhibiting professionalism through recruitment exercise is pertinent to succeeding, and punctuality is an important aspect of professionalism. Arriving late for an interview is very impolite and shows you don’t have respect for employer’s time, and also indicates that you do not have time management skills.In addition, arriving late makes you uneasy and makes it hard for you to focus on the matter at hand.
If you are running late for an interview for any reason, it is best you inform the company as soon as possible and politely seek an extension in time.
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The 2021/2022 GES Maiden edition which was advertised on 14th July, 2021 was stipulated to kick-start from 31st January, 2022 following the successful shortlisting of 25 unemployed graduates that successfully scale through the 4 screening exercises;
1st Screening Exercise: Application assessment
2nd Screening Exercise: Online interview
3rd Screening Exercise: Provision of credible recommendations
4th Screening Exercise: Oral interview
However, out of a total of 255 applications received following the closure of the application on 11th September, 2021;
in the 1st screening exercise, 204 applicants reached the pass mark of 50% and were shortlisted for the second screening exercise on 8th October, 2022;
in the 2nd screening exercise, 90 out of the 204 shortlisted applicants showed willingness to commit to the programme and were shortlisted for the third screening exercise on 18th November, 2022;
in the 3rd screening exercise, which required applicants to provide 2 credible recommendations from specified guarantors between 18th November to 17th December, 2022;
4 applicants provided false recommendations;
4 applicants’ guarantors were unreachable;
16 applicants provided only 1valid recommendation;
Only 6 applicants successfully provided 2 valid recommendations as required.
Hence, due to the poor outcome of the first application which yielded only 6 successful applicants; a number less than the 25 potential applicants required for the commencement of the 2021/2022 GES Maiden Edition; we regret to announce the postponement of the programme.
This to give room for the reopening of the application to allow us select more applicants for the continuity of the screening exercise and accomplishment of the programme.
Interested applicants should click the button below to apply.
The 6 applicants who successfully scaled through the first application do not have to reapply as they will be scheduled for oral interview along with newly selected applicants in due time.
Thank you for your continuous corporation as we work together to implement GES across Nigeria and Africa at large.
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The unemployment rates are increasing in a geometric progression; according to the NBS, the unemployment rate rose to 33.3 % in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from 27.1 % in the second quarter of the same year. This alarming increase can be likened to a double-edged sword. On one end young people build their enterprise to employ others, on the other end, the rate of crimes and other vices increase with the increase in the number of idle youths. Some stakeholders argue that the rate of unemployment will reduce drastically if Nigerian graduates have the prerequisite skills for the workplace.
The dearth of employability skills has been attributed to unemployment in many quarters. The problem of graduates’ employability remains a continuing policy priority for higher education policymakers in many economies. These concerns have been given renewed focus in the current climate of wider labour market uncertainty. Policymakers continue to emphasise the importance of ‘employability skills in order for graduates to be fully equipped in meeting the challenges of an increasingly flexible labour market.
Although there are many other factors, studies have shown that of all the factors militating against graduate employability, the dearth of employability skills stands tall. It is no longer news that the higher institutions have not been able to prepare the Nigerian graduate for the changing and demanding landscape of the workplace.
Terraskills GES Programme the Solution to Unemployment
As means of solving this challenge, Terraskills Learning Systems researched and developed a Graduate Employability Skills (GES) Programme which is “poised to arm and equip graduates with requisite 21st Century skills and emotional intelligence necessary and sufficient for 21st Century living, for self, business, community and the nation.”
Terraskills aims at training 1000 Nigerian graduates of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of education by 2023. The target is to equip these graduates so that they can compete favourably, get employed and have a meaningful life. The main slogan for Terraskills empowers 1000 is; Get Skilled, Go for Internship and Secure your Future.
According to the General Manager, Prince Donald Ejieke Ogbuwa, the slogan (i.e. 3 step approach) is a game-changer for any graduate who wants to gain employment in a reputable organisation.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must be:
a Nigerian,
a graduate of any University, Polytechnic, College of Education or equivalents.
resident in Abuja (for the maiden edition);
unemployed at the moment.
available for the duration of the training (2-months).
Application and screening process
The application portal for the maiden edition is currently open. The application opens on the 13th of January and closes on the 31st March, 2022.
The selection of applicants will be based on fulfilling the eligibility criteria. Participants will be carefully selected through a rigorous process that will ensure only qualified candidates are selected.
1st Screening Exercise: Pre-assessment
2nd Screening Exercise: Online interview
3rd Screening Exercise: Provision of credible recommendations
The GES model includes 12 carefully crafted modules designed to fit the needs of Nigerian graduates. The modules will be delivered using lectures, discussion, simulations, role-play, games and case studies. The modules will be delivered through a dedicated faculty of experienced, committed, skilled and disciplined staff using appropriate and state of the art training and instructional facilities and equipment for quick and optimal results.
The GES model was developed to meet the needs of applicants and employers of labour; it stems from holistic research of employers needs and the need to deliver a standard training and learning model different from what is attainable in the Nigerian Educational System. The unique problems of the Nigerian Graduate; and the factors surrounding his/her inadequacies; was on the front burner of GES model development.
The GES model aims at supporting the educational and social inclusion of fresh Nigerian Graduates through a mechanism of orientation, tutorial action, practical classes provided on a one-on-one basis.
Our dedicated faculty of experienced and dedicated facilitators handle all GES training. The training will take place in Terraskills Learning Systems Limited, No 14 Sunyani Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja.
Benefits for registering for Terraskills GES Programme
Interested individuals will have access to over 80% tuition discount
As well as access to 1-month practical employability skills training
And 1-month internship in a reputable organization
They will also have access to a pool of highly resourceful networks, mentorship and access to free shared space and internet.
Throughout the training, participants will have access to Terraskills fun filled adventure and hiking experience with the Terraskills team.
Other benefits are;
Improved social and emotional skills
Stimulate the development of interest and curiosity
Developing a positive attitude to learning
Gain a better understanding of career option and job roles
Improve self-awareness and stimulate commitment to self and others
Stimulate the contributory/collaborative mindset
It is our hope at Terraskills that each GES participant will have a different story at the end of the training. Therefore, apply now!
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Kobi walked to his junction to bring home his friend, Joewie who travelled to celebrate new year with him.
On their way home, they spotted a small gathering of excited people around a van that was filled with expensive gadgets. Curiously, they diverted to see what was happening.
A man from the gathering informed them; “na promo dem dey do. With N10,000 you fit win very big something”. As they were conversing, another man interrupted in excitement; “I just won a big plasma with N10,000”. “How does it work”, Joewie inquired. The man replied, all you need to do is stake N10,000, then pick a paper from that basket, whatever is written in the paper is what you would get.
The Conviction
In their presence, a man staked N10,000 and won a Refrigerator. Another woman staked N10,000 and won a laptop.
“This is amazing, lets give it a try” Joewie said. But Kobi was hesitant. “I can’t afford to lose 10k at the moment, because I don’t have much money”. As they were discussing, someone interrupted them; “It’s a safe game, because you aren’t losing anything. Nothing you win is going to be worth less than the amount you stake as all the gadget here worth over N10,000”.
As they contemplated on whether to stake or not, another man staked and won a big microwave. Kobi became convinced that it was legit, so they joined the queue to stake. They said, “we can as well sell the item and get cool cash”.
The Trial
Joewie staked first and won a 42 Inch TV. Amazing! He exclaimed. Kobi staked and won an iPad. Instantly, Joewie placed a call to his sister to send some money to his account, and he staked one more time. This time, he won a laptop. They were so excited and wished they had more to stake with.
But the promoters were not even willing to wait more, they left in a hurry stating they had other places to go.
With N1,000 naira, Kobi and Joewie shuttled a taxi to help them transport the finely packed fragile items to Kobi’s house. Kobi’s family were delighted when they learnt of their wins.
Unveiling the Boxes
Finally, it was time to unveil the gadgets. With care, Kobi opened the iPad pack and everyone was shocked by the content. Instead of a finely packed iPad, the pack contained a Happy New Year card. Immediately, Joewie unpacked his boxes, and in them were slabs bearing the message, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year”
They couldn’t believe their eyes. As they wailed, Mr Salami, a poor farmer who lived in an isolated hut watched them. Soon he grabbed them by their hands and walked them to a mango tree to discuss with them.
He said, I am going to share my unbelievable life story with you, and hopefully, you would learn from it.
Mr Salami’s Story.
Gambling you see is not a nice game, for in the end, even if you win, you may end up losing what you might have gained from it and more.
Once upon a time, I used to be wealthy. I worked with a bank that earned me N500,000 on a monthly basis. As a bachelor, I lived happily in a comfortable 2-bedroom apartment. How sweet life was!
One day, a friend introduced me to gambling. I thought that was not a very good idea, but looking at how extravagant Toba was living and how happy he flaunts his wins, I was tempted to give it a try. But the truth is, every gambler who wants to initiate someone will always want to impress by flaunting their wins and never talk about their loses.
In the beginning, I only gambled with what I could afford to lose. Soon I realized that the higher I staked, the bigger I am likely to win, so I started staking more. I was cashing out and the loss was minimal. Within 5 months, I made up to 2 Million Naira from gambling. The more I won, the greedier I became for more.
With my earnings, I built a luxurious apartment in the city centre; I got married to pretty Nana. How beautiful life was, he sighed!
The Peril
Soon, my job at the bank appeared as stress to me. Since on several occasions, I won over 3 times my monthly salary without stress by gambling, I decided to quit my job to focus on the real deal. That was when I started losing it; I deliberately lost my job!
Within 4 months of my marriage, I started losing big in my game than I was winning. At first, I tagged the bad luck to my newly wedded bride; I said she must be jinxed.
But, rather than quitting, I gambled more and lost more. When I exhausted my cash, I borrowed from friends and lost. I gambled with my car and lost. My wife pleaded that I quit gambling but I told her, life itself is a gamble, I won’t quit until I recover my losses. The more I lost, the more I gambled again to recover my loses.
I gambled with my house and lost it! I was given 3 months to leave my house, and I couldn’t bear to tell my wife about it.
Since I couldn’t afford to lose it all, and yet I had nothing to gamble with anymore, I took the chance and gambled with my wife without her consent and I lost. Mr Thompson whom I lost Nana to was supposed to return her to me after housing her for a period of 1 week, but today, they are happily married with 3 children. Nana refused to return to me.
Lost Hope
Ego did not allow me take up any average job, for, I had enjoyed better life. Soon I was thrown out of my house; my very own house! With shame, I had to relocate to this village where nobody knew me and started a life as a poor farmer. Until, I die, I don’t think I would ever step my feet in Lagos to avoid the wrath of over 15 people that I loaned money from to gamble, and I am yet to repay.
I have lost hope in life for I don’t think any job can help me recover my loses. If I had my way, I would have committed suicide out of depression but I am afraid of dying. Therefore, I have chosen to live quietly as a poor farmer until death comes to take me away in peace.
Lesson 8: Gambling isn’t such a nice idea. It is addictive; the more you win, the greedier you become, and the more you lose, the more you would want to gamble to recover your loses. In the end, you might lose what you gained from it and more.
Therefore, I encourage all readers to avoid gambling in this new year, 2022 and focus on legit businesses.
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With around 40 percent of the global workforce considering leaving their current jobs in 2021, employers need to be incredibly thoughtful about how they approach the new world of work. Dubbed hybrid work, the new prevailing approach sees employees being given the freedom and flexibility to divide their time between working in an office and working remotely.
A report from a work trend index based on surveys from over 30000 workers in 31 countries has shown that hybrid work is hard.
Applications like Teams, Outlook and Office 365 also revealed the difficulty in hybrid work
Ibrahim Youssry, Regional General Manager, Middle East and Africa Region at Microsoft, while at the virtual Microsoft 365 summit titled Future of Hybrid Work stated that companies must approach this next phase of work quite carefully because it will fundamentally impact who stays, who goes, and who seeks to join their teams.
Youssry noted that one must not forget that the mass move to remote working has had several downsides.
“For starters, an influx of virtual meetings and digital communication is causing employees to experience digital exhaustion. And a lack of spontaneous interaction can result in very siloed thinking because there is little opportunity for people from different teams to collaborate around how to solve a problem or to share creative ideas,” He said.
He encouraged workers to think flexibility, culture, and inclusion on how to keep the business culture going forward, how to attract and retain talents, how to respond to changes in working environment and how to approach future innovation which will be a key to success in the coming years.
However, he continued by outlining three interventions that businesses can implement to make sure they get hybrid work right which includes enabling extreme flexibility, taking a proactive approach to company culture and prioritizing inclusion.
He noted that it’s important for organizations to sit down with their employees and take the time to find out what everyone needs to be as efficient and productive as possible.
According to him, company culture and team-building efforts must be proactive, not passive, and It’s critical to invest in strategies and technologies that bridge the gap between the digital and the physical worlds so that those working remotely don’t feel disconnected from those working in the office and vice versa.
He explained that teams must be presented with opportunities to brainstorm, collaborate, and share ideas no matter where they are located.
“In today’s workplace, it has never been more important to include everyone. Accessibility is the vehicle to inclusion,” he said, noting that there really are no limits to what people can achieve when technology reflects the diversity of everyone who uses it. He detailed that
Microsoft’s investments in Al aim to put emerging technologies in the hands of developers so that they can accelerate the development of accessible and intelligent AI solutions, designed by and in collaboration with people with disabilities.
He concluded that the period is an opportunity to grow and evolve in the workplace in order to deliver capabilities that help employees, customers and business thrive.
Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Credit: BusinessDay (Francis Onyemachi)
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Kobi felt relieved when he realized the child was not his; but deciding on what to do with the abandoned child sunk him in ambivalence. However, after much contemplation, he packed his bag and travelled with the infant to Niger State, with the hope that his mother, Mrs Doris would assist in her care. Rather, his mother and siblings were mad at him for taking responsibility for a child that didn’t belong to him considering their financial situation.
Sophia on the other hand was excited that Kobi was not the father. She implored him to come to Lagos, noting that with his good qualification, he would be able to secure a good job while they find a means to care for the child together. Meanwhile, she was unemployed and had been relying on her family to provide her basic necessities.
The Acquaintance
Around 7am the next morning, Kobi went out to buy some milk for the infant who barely slept through the night. At the store, he overheard another buyer conversing on the phone stating that he would resign his job the following day.
The statement caught his attention, that after completing his purchase, he waited to speak with the Resignee. He said to himself; “since he is resigning, the organization will definitely be needing a replacement for him; I could be that replacement”.
Subsequently, Kobi had a discussion with Gideon, the Resignee. However, without seeking to know why Gideon was going to resign, Kobi pleaded that he paved way for him to replace him at the company, explaining how desperately he needed a job. If Kobi had asked Gideon why he was resigning, it probably would have spared him a lot of stress.
As it was a Loan Agency, initially Kobi was worried that he did not have a background in that field but Gideon assured him that his field of study did not matter as long as he met the second-class upper criteria. He urged Kobi to get his credentials ready and they made plans to visit the organization the next day. That day, Kobi named the infant, Favour, believing that she had brought him job luck. His younger sister Nana agreed to help him care for Favour while he goes to work if the job clicked.
Fast forward to the Loan Agency
Kobi was offered employment with the Loan Agency as a Debt Collector. Even though the job did not align with his passion and aspirations, he accepted to work there as long as it earned him some money.
The organization, on the other hand, was one of the worst work environments ever. Kobi wasn’t given proper orientation as to how things were to be done; he struggled to learn on the job on his own. He also struggled to make relationships with his co-workers as the organization was full of hostile employees with negative vibes. The management was whacky; the organization continued to lose and replace personnel week after week. Even though Kobi’s role was to manage finance and recover money owed on delinquent accounts, he was forced to take on random assortment of duties that didn’t align with his role; like running errands, washing the company’s car, gardening, etc. He wasn’t gaining relevant knowledge neither was he growing on the job. He would work under pressure Monday to Sundays from 7am to 10pm.
The thought of starting a new week at work made him miserable, sick, frustrated and depressed. It was all energy sapping!
Within 5 weeks of work, he was broken down by stress; he fell very ill and was hospitalized. While he was hospitalized, the company didn’t care about his well-being. While on the sick bed, Kobi reflected on his life and realized that there was no future for him in the organization; he had no passion for the job, his income didn’t suffice the stress, he wasn’t gaining any new skill, it was just mentally draining!
Lesson 7: Don’t just find any job, find the right one.
Considering salary on a job is important, however, you should not blindly take on a wrong job just to earn.Unlike a wrong job, the right job is one that you love and are passionate about. Not only does it help you earn, but it also aligns with your goals; lets you grow, supports your well-being, gives you a sense of value, and satisfaction. If you do not love your job, you won’t enjoy it; every task will seem daunting and your productivity will not be at it’s peak.
Five days later, Kobi got better and returned for work, with the aim of tendering his resignation letter and getting his pending payments, only to discover from a guard that during his period of absence, the company got another replacement for him and also relocated without informing him. If you were in Kobi’s shoes, what would you do?
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