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Wow, I really don’t know how to introduce the guest blogger for today because his accomplishments are too overwhelming; this is a man that has risen through the ranks believing in his dreams and the guy is very focused. He has bagged so many awards and has recently been nominated for two categories in The Future Awards – Best Use of Technology and Youth Advocacy. I totally respect him. Check out his article on “e In eMPLOYMENT”; You would love it.

 

Name:                      Gbenga Sesan

 

Occupation:              Programmes Manager (Lagos Digital Village)

 

Website:                  www.gbengasesan.com

 

Writing Style:           Explanatory and Intense 

 

 

The proof of sustainability of any enterprise, people-group or structure is the young people the system can equip for the days ahead. If these youth are either unemployed today or unsure of employment when they complete their studies, there is the need to focus attention on the situation and offer creative and appropriate solutions.
 

Africa missed out on earlier global opportunities but attention has increased quite significantly across the continent with respect to the opportunities that Information and Communication Technologies offer for development and economic emancipation. New economic indices reveal that the major factors of production are knowledge and technology. The role of ICTs in increased employment opportunities cannot be ignored, as many nations across the world have been able to identify this and apply in their plan towards economic development.
 

India’s prominence in the software industry, the ongoing asianisation of hardware technology and the response of the United Arab Emirates to ICT opportunities – and the attendant results – tell the complete story of employment opportunities provided by ICTs. In Nigeria, and many other African countries, some young people have been able to change their employment status by erecting temporary offices (kiosks, umbrella units, etc) where they provide telecommunication services such as mobile phone calls and sales of recharge cards.
 

It appears that the fact that young people are more comfortable with technology offers promises with respect to youth employment issues in Africa. As much as ICTs promise dynamic opportunities for youth in relation to employment, ICTs are simply tools and must be engaged in order to produce results. Mobile platforms, web technologies, internet services and other ICT delivery mechanisms are available for youth who are able to translate opportunities into livelihood ventures.
 

Fortunately, most of the employment opportunities provided by ICTs do not require huge start-up capitals – a mobile phone merchant can actually set up his umbrella business with less than $100. Even if he has less, he can afford to grow his start-up capital from almost nothing by retailing recharge cards for sub-dealers. If these opportunities exists in ICTs, why then are we not seeing dynamic change across the continent in the area of engaging ICT opportunities for employment? The answer is quite simple: some have not seen the opportunity; others assume that ICTs have a steep learning curve; and some others are ignoring opportunities – or are not prepared to follow the path of ICT opportunities because of their assumption that the ICT pasture is not green enough.
 

While the campaign for ICT opportunities in employment need to increase in tempo, youth themselves must seek to identify this dynamic opening. For those who think ICTs present high entry barriers (steep learning curve), they fail to realise that ICTs offer a wide spectrum of choices ranging from those comfortable with newbie to those requiring advanced attention and understanding. It is the choice of each entrant to choose which width of the spectrum best meets his/her needs, and individual learning capacity. Reality is that some ICT opportunities require no high-level thought process beyond the simple ability to sum up your income and calculate your profit at the end of the day.

FOR MORE PAPERS FROM GBENGA SESAN CLICK Keynote_ICTs and Youth Entrepreneurship.doc