Elochukwu Benjamin
Awka
KEMAK Foundation for Enhancing Sustainable Livelihood has empowered 90 fresh university graduates with practical knowledge and guidance for navigating careers, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and life after university.
Participants empowered at the 8th edition of Fresh Graduates Career Mentorship Summit comprised recent graduates of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI) and Ebonyi State University (EBSU), particularly members of the 2025/2026 graduating class.
The programme was designed to equip fresh graduates with the knowledge and practical insights required to distinguish themselves in the competitive employment environment, navigate job and postgraduate scholarship applications, maximise their NYSC experience and make informed decisions about careers and personal development.
The 8th edition of the programme, with the theme, “Preparation for a Successful Career.” and supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Ebonyi State, Zenik Tech, One Youth Global, Aptech Ebonyi Team, and F&T Freeman Petroleum Ltd, among others, featured certificates presentation to participants.
Speaking during the programme held at the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Hall, Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FETHA II), Ebonyi State, Executive Director of KEMAK Foundation, Dr. Makuachukwu Ojide shared practical guidance on preparing competitive curricula vitae (CVs), drawing from his personal experience.
He emphasised that repackaging a CV should focus on projecting achievements rather than merely listing responsibilities, urging the graduates to present their value effectively to prospective employers and scholarship selection committees.
He urged the participants not to allow the knowledge acquired at the programme to remain theoretical, but to put what they had learnt into practice.
While pledging the Foundation’s continued mentorship in career and postgraduate scholarship opportunities for the next five years, Ojide reassured them that their success stories would be celebrated as an inspiration to others.
Other speakers brought perspectives from corporate employment, entrepreneurship, professional development and public service.
An Assistant Director at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ebonyi State, Dr Comfort Wilson spoke on career growth and emphasised hard work, integrity and mentorship as important pathways to success.
Sharing her personal experience, Wilson stressed that anyone of them could achieve greater heights in any chosen profession if they work hard, remain focused, and maintain resilience and the fear of God.
Charles Chikwe Okpala, a Professor of Production and Engineering and Management Systems and the incumbent Head of Department of Industrial/Production Engineering at Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka noted that entrepreneurs transform problems into opportunities.
He encouraged the graduates to seriously consider entrepreneurship as the first career option and to approach it with a problem-solving mindset.
He also supported the participants with gifts of notebooks.
Also speaking, an accountant and Director of Enene Akonjom Foundation, Amb. Mrs. Enene Fonne emphasized the need to challenge personal or family career limits.
She charged the graduates to cultivate courage, resilience and a positive vision of success in pursuing their career and life goals.
“Challenges will always be there, but only those who are courageous enough to face their challenges become successful,” she added.
The programme also featured a session by Comrade Onyebuchi Mpamugo, NYSC Mobilisation Officer, AE-FUNAI, who provided participants with guidance on the NYSC mobilisation process and how to make the most of their service year.
He encouraged them to avoid common errors that delay many prospective NYSC candidates.
A public relations expert and staff of Public Relations unit at AE-FUNAI, Mma Ofoma also addressed the importance of public presentation and speaking skills.
She shared personal experience on how determination, focus, self-confidence, continuous practice and learning can afford any individual great career opportunities.
Participants were further introduced to the relevance of digital skills, with the ApTech team (Ebonyi State) encouraging the graduates to take advantage of available technology and digital-learning opportunities to improve their employability and relevance in the modern workplace.
They expressed appreciation to the Executive Director KEMAK Foundation and his team, the speakers and the sponsors for creating an avenue through which they could gain practical knowledge and broader awareness of the opportunities and challenges that await them after university.
Specifically, Evelyn Nduu, a graduate of Mass Communication, considered the summit as a huge opportunity to learn and re-engineer their mindset for successful career.
An engineering graduate, Testimony Onwe noted that the programme was very impactful – the lectures, interactions, game, and personal experience shared by successful professionals – these were all learning opportunities that have given one clear picture on how to start up successful career.
Another participant, Chinedu Julius, an economics graduate, said the Summit, which he described as inspiring, provided valuable lessons, guidance, and motivation that would assist them make better decisions and prepare for successful future.
