By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some graduates of the University of Ibadan have been charged not to be afraid of failure but to continue to invest in themselves and upscale their skills to be competitive in the global marketplace.
This advice was given was the chief executive of First Bank Limited, Mr Adesola Adeduntan; the chief executive of GIS Konsult Ltd, Mr David Afolayan; the Vice Chancellor of UI, Mr Kayode Adebowale; and the chief executive of EZ37 Solutions Limited, Ms Adaora Ayoadeduring the Career Fair 2023, anchored by EZ37 Solutions Limited, as part of activities marking the 2023 convocation and 75th Foundation Day ceremonies of the premier university.
At the career fair themed Global Careers: Navigating Opportunities Beyond Borders, Mr Adeduntan urged the graduates to be deliberate in building networks and continuously investing in themselves, saying emotional, physical, social and intelligence quotients (Four Qs) and aptitude and attitude (two As) are pivotal to their attitude.
“Seeing that you have taken the first and most important step towards shaping your future, the rest should be a journey to self-discovery for you. Don’t be afraid to try and more importantly, don’t be afraid to fail.
“Always remember Lupita Nyong’o’s words that ‘It’s only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you are not expressing the utmost of your human experience.
“It is important to identify your core skills, work values, ethics and especially where your passion lies. Carry out a SWOT analysis on yourselves to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and once you discover and define your authentic selves, channel all your energy to pursuing career paths that align with the future you envision for yourself.
“This career fair is perfectly timed, and I believe it will be a good opportunity for you to explore and connect.
“Coming from someone like me, who knows well the power of professional networking, take this as your cue to engage in meaningful conversations with people of similar interests and passions, ask questions where in doubt, and present your elevator pitch to individuals and organisations of your interests, you may just be a conversation away from your dream job.
“I also encourage you not to undermine the importance of internships and boot camps. They are gaining popularity in today’s world and the benefits cannot be overemphasized,” the banker said.
