African Diaspora Youth Forum. April 19 2005. Ogun State, Nigeria

Today, Not Tomorrow

Entrepreneurship Education and Youth Entrepreneurship

‘Gbenga SesanLDV Project Manager

Junior Achievement of Nigeriawww.janigeria.org |

gbenga.sesan@janigeria.orgAfrican Diaspora Youth Forum. April 19 2005. Ogun State,

Nigeria

Bridging the GAP• Education should bridge the gap between needs and opportunities

– employment, fulfillment, rights’ assertion• Presently, education in Nigeria is at a dismal state and this has

impacted negatively on the economy• To improve the situation, the engine of growth has to be built on

the productivity, natural enterprise and entrepreneurship of ALL of the Nigerian people

• JA Nigeria seeks to equip Nigerian youth with the tools to develop this natural enterprise and compete in a global economy… bridging the gap between the classroom and the work place

• Our Vision: Young conscientious business leaders leading a vibrant economy

• Our Mission: To inspire and educate young people to become conscientious business leaders. We will achieve this by implementing economic education programs that develop attitudes and skills necessary for personal success and social responsibility

JA Nigeria Programs• Our programs are targeted towards youth aged 5 to 25• Primary School: Elementary School Program (ESP – Our

Selves, Our Family, Our Community, Our City, Our Nation, Our World); One-Day ESP

• Secondary School: Personal Economics, Company Program Personal Economics helps students assess their personal skills and

interests, explore career options, learn job-hunting skills and underscore the value of an education. Students also learn about budgets, personal and family financial management and decision making

The Company Program is Junior Achievement's original program. It is an extremely practical program where students establish and run their own company. Guided by their teacher and two business consultants/role models, they set up a company by selling shares of stock, electing company officers, designing, producing and marketing a product and finally liquidating the company and paying any dividends to shareholders. The program runs for a minimum of fifteen weeks and gives students hands-on experience of owning and running a real company

JA Nigeria Programs• The Hewlett Packard Global Business Challenge is an annual Internet

competition open to all JA Member Nations in which secondary school and university students compete as managers of computer simulated businesses. Eight teams from the JA member countries who make it to the final round are sponsored for a final competition leading to cash prizes and scholarships

• The mission of the LEAD camp is “to develop and empower girls to become young women leaders and achievers”. This is achieved through a series of activities such as leadership workshops, discussions with leading women from the private and public sector, group projects that must be completed by the end of the camp and thought-provoking discussions on issues such as safety, sex education and HIV/AIDS, choosing the right university and the right career path, and life as a young woman in Nigeria

• Venture in Management Programme is a week-long residential program that will allow 50 members of the National Youth Service Corps from corporations of all sizes and types to participate in a rigorous mini-MBA session that will introduce them to the rewards and challenges of general management and entrepreneurship. Modelled after Harvard Business School's Summer Venture in Management Programme (SVMP), ViMP has been customised by Junior Achievement of Nigeria and the Lagos Business School to offer young Nigerian emerging leaders an essential toolkit for success

WANTED: Role Models• We often become what we admire. Who is your role model?• Most young people – today – get derailed or carry out vices

due to the (direct or indirect) influence of their role models• There are two challenges – becoming a role model for the

generation coming after you (and your peers); and finding the right role models that can help you gravitate towards appropriate knowledge acquisition and entrepreneurship

• Through new technologies, you can reach those who protocol could prevent you from meeting with

• There is a strong need to define what direction you wish to take as far as your career plan is concerned – and the earlier you do that, the better

• The whole world will stand aside for a man/woman who knows where he/she is going

What will You(th) do?• The first step to your dream could be taken when pen meets paper –

unwritten plans are often neglected• Take your pen and join me in this exercise:

– What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?– What would you do – and love – even if you won’t be paid– What one thing is of serious concern to you?– Who would you love to be like when you grow up and what does the

person do now?– If passing exams and all necessary funds are assured, what career

would you like to pursue? • Your answers to these questions would guide your desire to have an

idea of what path is best for you as you go• Don’t be afraid of falling, as long as you rise again. Your past

(background, failings, etc) can not decide how far you will go in life• Success has many relatives, but success is by choice!

THANK YOU

‘Gbenga SesanLDV Project Manager

Junior Achievement of Nigeriawww.janigeria.org |

gbenga.sesan@janigeria.orgAfrican Diaspora Youth Forum. April 19 2005. Ogun State, Nigeria