Skills Acquisition

By Haruna Muhammad Inuwa

Nigeria is a great country. A country with great potential and great people. A giant of Africa and, of course, the most populous black country in Africa. Foreigners from other parts of the time – well, for some that have not travelled well – sometimes confuse Africa and Nigeria. This is because they tend to generalise that every black individual coming from Africa is from Nigeria. This is how dominating our great country has been!

In 2018, on March 10, President Muhammadu Buhari launched a national orientation program tagged “Change Begins With Me”. In the speech, he challenged Nigerians to realise that the change they want to see begins with them and that personal and social reforms are not a theoretical exercise. So, he practically says that for a developing country like Nigeria, everyone must get to work and realise their potential for the needed change we have been seeking. This must be a national assignment from Kano to Calabar, Lagos to Maiduguri. 

Embarking on a sacred expedition of bringing change in any society requires one to be passionate about their ideals. They must first identify a problem within. They must be willing to walk the talk. They must be willing to sacrifice a lot of time and resources. They must be believers in the change they wish for. Change is brought about so ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Hence, an ordinary citizen called Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim founded Engausa Global Tech Hub. 

The Engausa model emerged as a one-size-fits-all solution in a society with system-wide problems. However, the approach is more interesting because it is skill-driven. Engausa Hub aims to empower these youths with digital skills in a community with battalions of unemployed youths. Engausa advocates teaching digital skills using home-based languages for accessible communication and understanding. From the city of Kano, Engausa Global Tech Hub is becoming a focal point of attraction to many university graduates, undergrads, Almajiris, and even those with natural talent and innovative ideas to be developed, managed or commercialised.

The Engausa story is inspiring because it centres on shaping the way things work and changing the narratives of our society. All thanks to the relevant authorities, who support the innovative activities of the Engausa Hub, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Technology Incubation Centre Kano. During the recent graduation of 1353 students who were rigorously trained in programming, video editing, blogging, graphics design and software development, social media literacy, and digital marketing, the DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, happily commended Engausa Global Tech Hub for this significant paradigm shift in the digital ecosystem.

Engausa Global Tech Hub thrives on breaking barriers and bridging gaps. So far, the hub has graduated over 1700 technology apprentices with over 50 innovation-driven enterprises owned and managed by the Engausa graduates. Statistically, the hub is turning into a school where you don’t need a college degree before earning a living. Many Engausa graduates are now managing their business; others work in private sectors or are independently freelancing.

Engausa Global Tech Hub seeks collaboration and partnership to expand its operations to other northern Nigerian states because a generational change can only be actualised.

Haruna Muhd Inuwa wrote from Lagos via diamondmuhd@yahoo.com.

By Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim

There is a significant thing for university students doing nothing at home, in their neighbourhoods, or going from one town to another town. Still, some of these students just waste their precious time on social media, which can be described as a “waste of data.” Thanks to the students’ lack of the mindset to learn a skill or handwork.

Learning skills will benefit them even after graduating from university. Therefore, the fruitful result is that they will become employed or employers, instead of moving up and down looking for an even non-existent job, just like everyone following events in Nigeria knows today.

Engausa Global Tech. Hub hereby welcomes all enlightened students who have realised that we are now in the age of “Digital Technology”. Thus, because we know of such challenges and joblessness, we established EngausaHub.com, whose main aim is “Breaking Barriers and Bridging Gaps.”

Before suspending the ongoing ASUU strike, students can gain a lot. And even afterwards, what they must have learnt will benefit them, in and outside the university. In fact, it’s ridiculously unwise for a young person not to have where he acquires a modern skill or handwork. Otherwise, he would just be going to the university with an empty pocket, with nothing to buy anything they desire.

The universities themselves should have skills acquisition centres because it has become pervasive for graduates—sometimes, including master’s and PhD holders—to finish school and never get a job. They would just “enmesh” themselves in the so-called “Labour Market” without any fruitful result in the end.

Hence, I advise the ASUU, federal and state governments to establish vocational training centres in our universities and other tertiary institutions. Most of these sustainably developed countries also adopted this same method of getting exceptionally good young people. The Vice-chancellor of Skyline University, an Indian, confirmed this assertion to me when he recently paid us a familiarisation visit at ENGAUSA HUB. 

We seek Allah’s guidance.

Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim is the Founder/CEO Engausa Global Tech. Hub, Kano. He can be reached via ringims@gmail.com or 070383224643. Their websites are www.engausahub.com and www.chosenglobalech.com.

By MA Iliasu

When the self-acclaimed experienced butcher of Malam Abubakar Imam’s famous tale, “Dan Hakin da ka Raina” in Magana Jari Ce, Anunu, aimed to manoeuvre the pagan who came to sell his bull, he thought he was outwitting a villager to his own gain. But when the pagan burst his bubble by returning the favour in the most brutal way possible, he realised karma had no menu.

However, beyond such simplistic arguments on karmic justice lies a cogent spill-over effect that people like Anunu, who are the very people in our contemporary societies and the ones this piece addresses, never care to understand. Superior logic has proved that from the time Anunu cheated the pagan, the probability of his coming back to the market narrows very small despite drawing the score. And from that day, he may never trust another trader in any market ever again. This means Anunu had ridden off a valuable trader for his cattle market. And equally important is the fact the more Anunus there are in the society, the more pagans who boycott markets and cultivate trust issues will exist. Unfortunately, the effect will be an interactional rigidity in which people lose confidence in one another, significantly hindering the flow of socioeconomic activities in any organised society. And that’s among the major threats we’re facing in our contemporary societies.

Recently I attended a training in which an expert was hired to teach a skill. At the first encounter, the primary concern of the host was that how trustworthy was the trainer. Because the last time they hosted a similar training, the trainer developed a method that would save high cost, to which they applauded, but to which they had also later come to cry. The man accumulated and embezzled what was saved at the very realisation of his ability to do so and disappeared. And when he was reached out for an explanation, he asked for the accounting evidence, which didn’t exist. So, he got away with it like Andy Dufresne did the prison warden in Shawshank Redemption.

The behaviour along such a pattern of thinking is bedevilling the core of our existence. The primary underlining concern is the rising population of people who grew up admiring, and therefore imitating the cunning in the accounting prowess of Mr Duffressne without realising the gravity of the factors that forced his hands into the action. And so they do it all the time, everywhere and in anything. Unprovoked and with an ignoble feeling of conquering expertise. From bankers who manoeuvre their books to launder money, real estate agents who double-sale plots of land, marketers who sell lower quality products, pharmacists who exploit monopoly of knowledge to overcharge patients, bricklayers and mechanics who drag small work into big, borrowers who run without repayment, hire-purchase and leasers who sabotage the asset intensionally, to even students who charge their parents higher school fees than the demands of the school authority.

More discouraging is the pace with which the behaviour is fastly growing and sadly veiled as a skill that shall be integrated into the conduct and norms of polite society. It’s devastating how an individual identified with an outstanding ability to plot an ignoble moral hazard can be in high demand. The intriguing dimension is that more people are becoming more interested in milking the last bit of everything they wish to exchange, regardless of the moral and legal rights to do so—courtesy of poverty of contentment, lack of good moral upbringing and basic fear of God.

The emerging bracket of youths is so obsessed with what Ibn Khaldoun called “an unnatural way of making a living”, possibly because the output of the natural ways are too slow and demanding of patience, hard work and endurance that they don’t have. And along with that rising collective behaviour, we’re being left at the mercy of a society in which nobody trusts anybody, largely because nobody is trustworthy. The negative aspect of which dilemma causes the death of confidence between individuals and organisations that riddles the conduct of every socio-economic endeavour. Consequently, it often perpetuates the groundwork of the crises that are assassinating the prospects of our major micro industries.

The mass media is jam-packed with reports of crime and unemployment. This has a strong correlation with how the youths demand wealth to come quickly. Therefore, they get methodically radicalised. Likewise, how the middle-aged are giving up hope, thus, resenting moral hazard. Or how the capital owners fear the behavioural infidelity, therefore, save their cash, and, finally, how the three components suffocate the economy and culminate into such an unfavourable avenue of investment. Many are retreating into the fear of market individuals like Anunu and organisational drivers like Andy Dufresne, even though the people may constitute the larger aspect that considers the same action, which rounds up the gravity of our comedy of errors.

The best way to reverse the situation is to reflect and reconsider. It’s beyond certain that if individuals do not understand the advanced consequences of their actions, mediocre moves and poorly-conceived individual actions will keep being mistaken for skills. And when they’re considered skills, they’re being rewarded. At the same time, the effect of reward is encouraging further action of similar magnitude. So indeed, the best solution is mitigating our individual actions. Only that way, we can have a stable ecosystem and social platforms that’ll enable prosperity.

MA Iliasu writes from Kano. And can be reached through his email: muhada102@gmail.com.

By Najib Ahmad, PhD

Some remote jobs require intermediate or advanced skills, such as machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. These need you to have a good understanding of some areas in mathematics to solve computational problems. Design and analysis skills in Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Building and Architectural disciplines also require one to have adequate skill in learning-related software such as Matlab, Simulink, Ansys, Autodesk AutoCAD, StormCAD and ArcGIS, 3D Studio Max, Blender, among others. Besides all these, adequate knowledge of computer programming skills is essential. Always utilise the opportunity for an internship or industrial training or student industrial work experience schemes assigned by the school because they are good places for learning and engagement.

Skills acquisition does not only stop in science and tech-related areas, as I earlier mentioned. Whatever major you study in school, there is a skill to gain in it! So grab the opportunity while you still can. Everyone you admire now started somewhere. For instance, if you major in social sciences or arts and related disciplines, acquiring effective communication skills, excellent writing skills, and outstanding data analysis skills can take you to places you never anticipated.

And most importantly, from any discipline, you need to possess sound knowledge synthesis and critical thinking skills. There are good websites to look for a job that matches your skills, such as www.fiverr.com, www.upwork.com, www.freelancer.com, and www.flexjobs.com. The point is: whatever you study, there is a skill to add to it! Just be damn good! The ways to learn them are lengthy yet straightforward. For some, you may need up to six months of dedication or even a year or more to master a particular skill. What matters is, put your best effort as you usually do to pass your university/school courses exams.

In some cases, some people want to advance their careers, and these are all for you. And always remember that age does not matter in this journey. Even if you find yourself somewhere in mid-life, it’s not too late. So many people have had a rethink about their choices and goals in life much later and still make it.

Earlier I remarked that these skills are for everybody who wants to do good for himself. School education (higher education) and skills acquisition are not mutually exclusive; you can blend and achieve both at once. You may have seen that some people argue about which is better between the two, especially in times of uncertainty like now when jobs are scarce. Their point can only be substantiated when the goal was to compare learning a particular skill for a single purpose through extensive training or vocational training education and the school education system in Nigeria. However, you can begin to craft different skills at any level of your study because the current curriculum limits and is not in tune with the current reality about jobs. Hence, I titled this piece ‘Skills Beyond School’.

Arguably, most people wrongly perceive that skills, perhaps largely if not all, are intended only to be technical (Tech skills), and it is for technical people. That is a wrong, misleading impression. ANYONE can learn and master a skill in (or out of) their field of study. It is not rocket science. The energy you use elsewhere – or on social media – can be channelled to where you would surely benefit, even if not for financial gain, but knowledge gain.

For instance, anyone can learn entrepreneurial skills. But, in this case, do not seek short-term rewards! Even the owners of Microsoft, Google, Tesla, and Apple and most likely other ‘big names’ in this field you hear in your locality started their entrepreneurship journey by learning computer programming and other skills. So, begin something somewhere; no matter how little it might be, the change would surprise you one day.

And as you are reading this, I know you are thinking about the possibility of acquiring the skill desirable to get these kinds of jobs and finally be able to work for someone who didn’t even know you, especially outside Nigeria. The fear is normal – many people have shared this doubt at the beginning. I have friends (yes, my friends) who are currently doing remote jobs and cashing out monetary rewards in different fields of skills! Huh, I sound very promising. Because I believe you can also do it. One of these friends is managing a big project remotely. Isn’t that interesting? Imagine in this economic phase, and you have an extra job that provides you with additional benefits, considering that they are all employees of other sectors. FYI, students or graduates like you in southern Nigeria have been enjoying these remote jobs for ages. So, wake up.

What if you believe that everyone doing an online remote job is a potential criminal? In that case, the thing is, you are deceiving yourself. It is particularly irritating for me to see that we like to excuse our premeditated and comforting laziness (pardon the word). Besides, learning some skills can even give you an upper hand in applying for a master’s or PhD scholarship worldwide.

Finally, to reduce the gap or, in other words, to balance the economic growth between men and women, particularly in the North, we need to encourage girls to join the do-it-yourself kinds of skills acquisitions right from secondary school. If I am to be candid, I would tell you that we are left behind in everything. However, it is not too late for us to change the situation for the better. Don’t forget that life goes on even if you do nothing, and it is up to you to catch up. Just wake up!

Dr Najib Ahmad is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Shandong University, China. He can be contacted via namuhammad03@gmail.com.

By Najib Ahmad, PhD

Thanks to the existing curriculum in Nigerian schools (its directions, objectives, and preferences), students who wholly rely on this system hardly possess any tangible skill, which would prepare them to become self-directed or independent or job providers. They can also barely avoid queueing the assembly of youths whose over-dependence on the government-provided jobs is noticeable countrywide. Any thoughtful country that cannot provide jobs for its youth population knows the gravity of its future, which may be bleak. Fortunately, this is not a lonesome fight for Nigeria. It is a common challenge bedevilling the world today from the Far East, West to the far South Mediterranean countries, including developed and developing parts of the world.

There is a lack of adequate jobs everywhere, possibly for several divergent reasons. It is shared treachery, especially with the continuing world’s economic meltdown due to many seen and unseen factors. So, as a Nigerian, please do not take it hard or shudder; imbibe water and relax a trifle because we are not alone in this mess. There may be an advantage to every saddle moment.

Since the beginning of Covid-19, some countries have imposed total or partial lockdown–longer or shorter. These changes in our lives have handicapped the economy of nations and shattered peoples’ economic stability. On and off, many countries are still struggling with lockdown, which eventually forces people to work from home. From reports, you can say that the pandemic exposes the profound weaknesses and causes alarming panic in many countries previously seen as organised and the superpowers (aka God’s own nations). As a result, many people lost their jobs even in those powerful countries. Schools, universities, laboratories, markets, factories, and businesses were all closed, places of work and worship across the world were abruptly shut.

Consequently, different governments and policymakers have realised how vulnerable conventional job systems are. Thus, they are implementing strategies and gradually understanding the need for robust, better approaches to tackle these unprecedented changes. Policymakers have recommended and implemented novel ideas to impact schools, business owners, and entrepreneurs in countries affected by this negative development to make the economy viable and uphold the economic stability of their citizens.

For instance, several schools and universities have switched to remote instruction, in other words, digital learning. Due to the compelling need for endurance, human beings are social creatures who resiliently adapt and quickly learn to familiarise themselves with any given circumstances. People with different essential skills grabbed advantages from the emergent changes. They include but are not limited to computer skills that allow you to carry out remote jobs–working from non-typical office space. Besides, they are the kinds of do-it-yourself skills; they are not the specific skills you can learn from the traditional vocational training school. Suppose the government has plans to train people in such specialisation through vocational training school. In that case, it is a potential task and could easily invigorate people’s economic stability and prepare youth for the path of independence.

Here are a few examples of remote jobs that you can do from any place: (a) Computer programming/Coding; (b) Web development/design and Android or iOS developer; (c) Data science; (d) Content writing, copywriting, copyediting, transcription, and translation; (e) Graphic design; (f) Digital marketing; (g) Video editing; and Virtual assistant, and so forth. Of course, these jobs existed before COVID-19. However, they took a new turn and became enormously popular since the onset of the outbreak, thanks to their necessity and worth in our everyday lives. Thus, the everlasting need cannot be trammelled.

And every person who has no prior computer science/technology diploma or degree can master these skills. It does not matter whether or not one is from science or non-science-based disciplines. All you need is an android/iOS phone, while some require a desktop or laptop computer. Above all, you also require determination in learning and mastering any of these skills. And the good thing is, they are now taught in many online learning platforms for free or for a cost as either certified short courses or nano-degree programs.

The paid access courses are not very expensive if you compare them with the value of what you will learn and its advantages afterwards. Sponsored by the tech giant companies and other government sectors like Microsoft, Google, European Commission, and Universities, platforms such as Udacity, Udemy, FutureLearn, and Coursera offer massive open online courses (free).

YouTube is similarly often graded as the best platform for learning anything; you can use the platform to learn any skill you wish. So if you are a book person, look for the best ones in your field, learn, and practice. Even some establishments from Nigeria are taking part in this skills acquisition training program for the youths, but you hardly see these opportunities discussed in northern Nigeria’s cyberspace. Recently, I encountered another scholarship announcement for a Nanodegree scholarship in many essential skills in varieties of disciplines, which Access Bank, Nigeria will sponsor.

Dr Najib Ahmad is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Shandong University, China. He can be contacted via namuhammad03@gmail.com.