Employers prioritize Persons Living With Disabilities at Enugu Career Fair

Attention was shifted to Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD) searching for jobs at the Enugu Career fair that was held in the coal City, during the weekend.

The fair offered empowerment opportunities, skills and direct employment offers to thousands of youths, including the physically challenged persons that were in attendance.

Organized by Jobberman Nigeria, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the fair was designed to connect young job seekers with employers, while equipping them with practical insights to advance their careers.

An entrepreneur and visually impaired, Ms Ifeanyi Ukwueze who was among the panelists, mentored that being physically challenged was not completely an obstacle but a challenge which affected persons must endeavour to overcome.

One of the participants, Nnedi Ibeke stated that she was indeed happy with the way the physically challenged persons were given preference and attention. 

According to Nnedi, her overall experience at the fair was captivating but that she was more impressed with the attention given to the PLWDs.

The Head of Youth Engagement & Learning at Jobberman Nigeria, Innih Ikhide, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youth with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in the labour market.

Ikhide said, "At jobberman we believe that talents are everywhere and Enugu is one of the states with high youth population and we came to connect with job seekers and entrepreneurs. It is our expectation that the young people who attended the fair were given relevant skills, information and opportunities required for them to kick start their careers."

Delivering the keynote address, the General Manager of 100.3 Udoka FM and Chairman, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Enugu Chapter, Francis Uka, urged young professionals to combine technical expertise with strong soft skills, adaptability, and entrepreneurial thinking as critical tools for succeeding in a rapidly changing job market. 

"We live in a digital world and one of the things the youths need is to leverage the Internet, technology and the artificial intelligence. It's good to note that often times it's not the person who can do the job best that gets the opportunity, but the person who knows how to communicate the fact that he can do the job."

The fair also featured a goodwill message from the State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Chuks Umunna, who highlighted the government’s support for initiatives that create inclusive pathways to employment and entrepreneurship. 

"We have organized employability trainings and we have skills centres. So I encourage youths to come and register with us and make use of our job centres. I'm impressed with what happened here today and it will be fine if we can partner with Jobberman," Umunna said.

A key highlight of the fair was the insightful panel session, where experts shared strategies for navigating today’s workforce, followed by a job-matching session that gave participants the chance to interview directly with employers. 

Several job seekers secured employment offers on the spot, underscoring the fair’s tangible impact. 

In addition, a trade fair spotlighted young entrepreneurs who had completed Jobberman’s Entrepreneurship and Small Business Course, providing them with a platform to showcase their products and connect with potential customers.

Participants expressed excitement at the life-changing opportunities provided.

“The Career Fair gave me my first real chance to connect directly with employers. I didn’t just submit my CV, I walked away with a job offer. This is a life-changing opportunity,” said a job seekers, Davison Tor.