Bridging young PWDs unemployment gap

Youth unemployment remains a serious concern in Nigeria because of its impact on the country’s economy and social stability. That Nigeria has a large youth population is not in doubt and it continues to grow. This calls for a high demand for educational and employment opportunities.

It is an acknowledged fact that despite the labour force desire and participation rate, the gap continues to soar at 80.4% in Q2 2023. A concerning issue is that the employment-to-population ratio in Q2 of 2023 stood at 77.1% while the combined rate of unemployment and time-related underemployment as a share of the labour force population also stood at 15.5% in Q2 2023. Between Q2 and Q3 in 2023, youth aged 15-24 unemployment rate jumped to 8.6%.

A good attempt to remedy this is that most workers (around 88.0%) were in self-employment in Q2 2023 and this may continue to grow. The government continued to find solutions by implementing policies and programmes to address youth unemployment, such as the Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP). The Nigerian government also collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship programme.

For young persons with disabilities, it is a double tragedy. A substantial portion of young people with disabilities (PWDs) face unemployment, It is affirmed that 63% of young persons with disabilities are being excluded from education, employment, and training. Among the young persons with disabilities, young females with disabilities are mostly affected.

In a world where social justice and leaving no one behind have become a mantra, why is it that the country continues to tactically allow the exclusion to continue? The cost of this exclusion and continued lack of attention will have a huge boomerang on everyone in no distant time.

We all know some of the factors that are responsible for young people with disabilities lack of unemployment trajectory. A substantial 63% of persons with disabilities lack education or training and related employability skills. There is fire on the mountain top and no one seems to care like Asa rhythms go. But the remaining population that has such opportunities constantly face hurdles.

Many young PWDs’ face-to-face experience with employers often end in disaster as several recruitment teams will be meeting some of these special people in real life on a formal basis.

Many young PWDs have complaints about the attitude of recruitment committee members which is often betrayed by shock shown on the faces of the recruit team whenever they have any serious encounter with PWD experts/potential applicants. It has been proven not many of these recruitment team members have had good exposure and knowledge of potential of average qualified PWD job applicants except those they have met on the street who are begging.

Trust Inonse, a radio producer who is also a communications expert, shared that he once submitted a proposal to hand a corporate organization’s communications brief.

According to Trust, because his proposal was solid, the management called for a virtual chat which he passed. Following that, he was asked to do a virtual presentation which he scaled and rated the best among potential consultants. However the major problem began when he was supposed to meet the final decision maker in the appointment of the consultant for the brief.

According to him, everyone agreed he did best and positioned himself as someone who could do the job but the CEO said he was finding it hard to accept Trust Inonse might have the energy to attend to the demand of completing the assignment, and that was how he lost the brief. For him and many other brilliant young PWD professionals, this has become a regular experience

A major solution that is bridging the employment gap, which a few inclusive-driven employers and other talent recruitment agencies are now promoting across the globe, is inclusive job/career fair. This is still at the ignition state in Nigeria.

With an inclusive career fair, a relaxed atmosphere with a mind to know or build conversation and communications between potential PWD applicants and potential employers is established.

Both can have the opportunity to ask relevant questions that can lead to greater mutual relationships in no-distant time. I had an opportunity to attend one recently in Lagos, Nigeria and my interaction with potential young PWDs qualified professionals who are applicants was positive, many of the participating talent recruitment agencies, corporate organizations as well as organizers were happy with the outcomes.

But beyond the above solution, literacy rate, employment policy implementation and a possible incentive to corporate organizations who are deliberate about inclusive hiring will help.

On a final note, we all need to understand that youth unemployment has a devastating impact on both individuals and society, leading to increased militancy, violent crimes, kidnappings, restiveness, and socially delinquent behaviour.