NYSC urges corps members to acquire skills to tackle unemployment

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has urged corps members to take advantage of its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to acquire practical skills that could make them self-reliant amid rising unemployment in the country.

The NYSC Kaduna state coordinator, Mr. Abubakar Bawa, gave the charge on Friday at the formal opening and swearing in ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream I Orientation Course at the NYSC temporary orientation camp, Government College, Kaduna.

Bawa urged the corps members to participate actively in the SAED programme, stressing that their academic qualifications alone may not be sufficient to navigate the realities of the current economy.

“I also encourage you to engage fully in the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme, which is specially designed to equip you with relevant skills for self-reliance in this era of high unemployment,” he said.

Bawa also urged them to participate actively in the various camp activities and remain punctual, noting that the regimented nature of the orientation programme was designed to prepare them for the challenges ahead.

Also speaking, Governor Uba Sani urged the corps members to view their deployment to the state as an opportunity to learn, serve, grow, and contribute to national development.

He said the National Youth Service Corps remained an important instrument for promoting national integration by bringing together young Nigerians from different backgrounds and parts of the country.

“Your deployment to Kaduna State should not be seen merely as an administrative posting. It is an opportunity to learn, to serve, to grow and to make a difference,” he said.

Sani similarly encouraged the corps members to take the SAED programme seriously, saying the realities of the contemporary economy required young people to possess practical skills, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset in addition to academic qualifications.

“Use this opportunity to acquire skills that can empower you to become self-reliant, create employment and contribute to the growth of our economy,” he said.