How young Nigerians can find business and career opportunities

Information they say is the key and having access to timely information can make the difference between success and failure.

Business and career opportunities are readily available to all who are informed.

This article plans to do justice and provide practical steps on how to find opportunities for business and career for our youths.

Now let us dive into the business of today

This word ‘opportunity’ can be defined simply as ‘a chance for change, advancement or progress’. Sadly, most youth fail to understand that ‘ the secret of success is to be ready when an opportunity comes’. Remember you quickly seize an opportunity once you are offered.

       There are various types of opportunities that can be utilized by African Youths for career and business advancement. They are thoroughly discussed in the next session.

 Opportunities for Youths in business and career

  1. Loans: This is basically money given from the lender or commercial bank to another party in exchange for future repayment of the value or principal amount.

Loans are usually acquired after certain requirements have been met.  Some of these requirements include:

Commercial banks are mostly known for providing such services, nowadays several companies or lenders are known to offer these services too.

 

  1. Grants: A Grant is a way the government/ private communities fund ideas and projects to provide public services and economic stimulation. There are processes involved in the establishment of a grant. They are: 1. Pre- award phase: In this phase, creating the funding opportunity, applying and announcement is done. 2. Award phase: Here, making award notifications is done.
  2. Post award phase: As it is the final stage, implementation of the award takes place.

The exciting part of a grant is that it is not to be paid back. However, the guarantee is expected to fully implement the project for which the grant was given.

  1. Internships:  This is a short term work experience offered by companies and other organizations for people, usually students. It is as much a learning experience as it is work.

Basically, interns spend their time working on relevant projects, learning about the field and developing both hard and soft skills. As an intern, you get a chance to work together with professionals thereby getting a pretty clear picture of what an entry-level role might entail.

           Interns also get the chance to build their own network from their fellow interns to seasoned leaders. We must also know that there are unpaid internships. This kind of internship is one where the individual is just there for knowledge and experience and not necessarily funds. In these kinds of situations, the intern benefits more than the company itself and it is reasonable to get a grant while undergoing the learning experience if there is no financial support.

In all workforce an intern is needed. So if you are done schooling but you are faced with the usual challenge of not getting a job, why not fill for the position of an intern?

I said earlier on that we have the world’s treasury.

  1. Scholarships: This is basically financial support awarded to a student based on academic achievement or other criteria that may include financial need, for the purpose of schooling. These covers expenses for tuition, books, room, board and other expenses directly tied to a student’s educational cost through school. Now these scholarships are awarded using a variety of factors including academic achievement, departmental and community involvement, employment experience, areas of study and financial need.

Having looked at all these wonderful types of opportunities, questions regarding the ways to get these opportunities may rise. Not to worry because as we are in the digital era, you don’t necessarily need to literally go hunting physically for such opportuinities as there are websites to find opportunities where you can apply and that from the comfort of your homes.

Some of these websites include:

Follow us on our social media handles @CSAAE, we post the hottest opportunities every Tuesday.


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About Our Founder
Father-Godswill-Agbagwa
Fr. Godswill Agbagwa

Godswill Uchenna Agbagwa is a Catholic priest and a social ethicist. He was born in Umueze Amaimo, a small village in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State to Mr. Charlyman Chikamnele Agbagwa and Mrs. Evelyn Chinyere Agbagwa of blessed memory.