From Obinna Odogwu, Ekwulobia
Government institutions and other employers of labour have been urged not to insist on years of work experience as a basic requirement for granting employment to graduates seeking jobs in their establishments.
Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Sam Okaula, made the appeal in Awka at a Youth Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit on the theme, “From Recession to Economic Revolution, the Role of the Youths” organised by the Progressive Anambra Youths (PAY).
He said such criterion has greatly increased the rate of unemployment among the youths, which he identified as one of the major causes of crimes in the society.
Represented by DSP Iloabanafor Ogbonna, Okaula described as unrealistic, a minimum of three years’ work experience for a young graduate who just finished his National Youth Service programme, wondering the possibility of acquiring such experience when the opportunity is not provided.
“You are asking someone who just passed out from the NYSC to produce three or five years’ work experience before giving him a job; where does he get it from. Of course, he is automatically disqualified from the job.
“Now that he is denied of that opportunity, from where will he acquire it? Little wonder many of them are forced into all forms of criminality as alternatives,” he added.
Okaula who also blamed increase in vices on poverty, peer group pressure, poor parenting, addiction to social media and pretentious lifestyle as other causes of crime, however, advocated for a Masters’ degree as alternative to years of experience from would-be employees.
Earlier, the President of the body, Nonso Smart Okafor, said the organisation believes strongly in entrepreneurship and organises periodic leadership training where resource persons with specialties in different fields are invited to speak to the youths.