Diamond Bank, NYSC Unveil Portal For Graduate Employment

Diamond Bank Plc and the National Youth Service Corps have introduced a curriculum vitae web repository and job portal as part of efforts to enhance employment for corps members.

The Head, Retail Banking, Diamond Bank, Mr. Robert Giles, said that in accepting to be part of the portal project, the bank realised that youths needed more of information beyond banking. According to Giles, the youths need a platform to showcase themselves and their talents.He said that it was a good thing that the NYSC bought into the initiative.

“We are proud to work with you (NYSC) and arecommitted to ensuring the sustainability of thisinitiative,’’ he added.According to the Director-General, NYSC, Brig. Gen. Sule Kazaure, the portal is an initiative of the NYSC Lagos State coordinator, the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Developmentteam and a group of corps members.

“The portal is aimed at providing the links between outgoing corps members seeking white collar jobs and employers of labour who desire to employ qualified graduates based on their jobs specifications,” he said during the launch of the portal in Lagos.

Kazaure said that despite the obvious difficultyin securing white-collar jobs and the overriding benefits of self-employment, many graduates were still inclined to trying their luck with paid employment.

He said, “The portal we are launching will among other benefits, serve as a platform for corps members to get information on job vacancies and market themselves to prospective employers, serve as a large pool for employers searching for suitable candidates, and provide means of verification of credentials.”

The NYSC boss said the NYSC had been taking steps to empower corps members for self-employment through the SAED programme and the in-camp and off-camp trainings in various skill areas, in partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry through which corps entrepreneurs benefit from start-up loans at single-digit interest rates.

The Vice-President, Business Development West, Sigma Pensions Limited, Mrs. Mabel George, said, “Our job is basically about helping people to plan for their future and with this portal, it makes everyone employable.“We are so excited that people can get employed and in turn have savings for their future.

I see this as a wonderful initiative by the NYSC. We are here pledging our continuous support to this cause and anything that is going to help this country to become greater we always want to play a part of it.”