In a bid to expose students in senior secondary schools to various career opportunities as well as enhance their leadership capabilities, the Osun State Senior Secondary Education Board, in collaboration with Destiny Development Initiative (DDI), has organised a career fair and leadership training programme for public and private senior secondary schools in some selected local government areas in the State.
The programme which was held recently at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, has its theme as: “Teen LEAD Conference” and was designed to expose students to various career opportunities and sharpen their leadership capabilities.
In his address, the Osun State Coordinator, Mr Babatunde Jacob, who was represented by Head, SERVICOM, Mrs. Oluwabunmi Adesina, said a leader is someone who inspires, motivates, and guides others towards achieving a common goal or vision.
Jacob added that being a good leader entails listening effectively and bonding with team members, making informed decisions, taking responsibility and being accountable as well as fostering growth and development.
He also reiterated that career is a lifelong journey of exploration, growth and discovery, adding that it is a path where passion meets purpose and skills meet opportunities.
Jacob also advised that before choosing a career, some key factors such as interest, skills, values, job market and lifestyle must be considered, and therefore admonished the students to choose wisely.
Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Education, Osun State University, Osogbo, Prof. Florence Yusuf, in her paper titled: “Emerging Skills in the 21st Century”, emphasized the need for students to equip themselves with digital literacy such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), analysing complex data, developing algorithms and creating novel intelligent systems.
She disclosed that these skills are crucial for success in today’s fast-paced and tech-driven world.
Other professionals from diverse fields were also present at the event for the purpose of showcasing their expertise and inspiring the students.