IMPACT STORY - Gideon Akanya

In order to keep up with expenses, Gideon worked in five differentestablishments where he was earning a stipend but because he was bent on beingprudent, he was able to get by and survive. After much search had been done, adding to his limiting degree as an NCE holder, he found it difficult to get a betterplacement. This was primarily because some employers were interested in B.Sc. andMasters degree holders. They were hardly interested in the experience. He feltinadequate based on his lack of information.
He heard about WAVE through the LagosState Employability Skill Training Acquisition scheme and that WAVE would notonly train him but provide him with good placement opportunities, mostly in thehospitality industry. This fueled his motivation, as this was a dream job.

Like some of the youths in the program, he trained at the academy in Eti-Osa Local government with high expectations. He had various questions in mindhoping they could be answered. Would the placement be in the private orpublic sector? Will I be able to have a business that will develop on the longrun and improve the nation’s economy? After the training, he participated in thejob shadow at a beauty hub at Lekki (a company that has its specialty in dealingwith creams, make-up and hair accessories amongst others). He was thesales/marketing manager. This entailed going to different places around Lekkiaxis to make sales. He enjoyed where he had to use his communication skills inmeeting good and different people in the course the program and was also ableto learn from his superiors.

Although he has not gotten a placement through WAVE, Gideon is at Ilasan,Lekki-Lagos as a teacher where he is making proper use of his communicationskills to educate better. To any job-seeker, the sky is your limit only if youcan persist and never lose hope.