TALENT DEPLOYMENT-A PANACEA FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

TALENT DEPLOYMENT-A PANACEA FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

BusinessWeek reported, "More than 200 million people globally are out of work, a record high, as almost two-thirds of advanced economies and half of developing countries are experiencing a slowdown in employment growth, the group said.’.According to The Federal Bureau of Statistics 2000 Report:’Over 40million Nigerian youths are unemployed’.Vanguard Newspapers in its 2010 report stated that only 10% of Nigerians are in paid employment, over 40% youths are unemployed. This stated, the unemployment rate in our country seem not to be getting any better.It is therefore pertinent to look inwards and tap into your Godgiven ability and natural endownment. Last year, The Minister of Youths and Social Development Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi in a presentation to the Senate Committee on Youths and Women Affairs lamented what he described as the negligible return on the annual N43 billion expended on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.Abdulahi told the Senator Helen Eseune led committee that the unemployment figure estimated at 41.6% was about the highest in the world noting that the lack of employment opportunities coupled with a sense of hopelessness make the youth susceptible to violence, crime, and terrorism.

The deployment and development of your Godgiven talent sure has the capacity to get you employed and make you sought after in your area of expertise.Let us take a vivid look at the Nigerian creative industry(which is a blend of the music, movies, comedy, and fashion industry).The crop of individuals in these industries have been able to create jobs for themselves and for others not just by the deployment of their talents, but by also developing a business mindset towards their craft.In the words of Bob Manuel Udokwu a renowned Nollywood actor:’The entertainment industry in Nigeria is a vibrant and very vital sector of the economy. It is the second highest employer of labour in the country, aside the civil service.’ The practitioners are mostly young and creative individuals.’The likes of Psquare,A.Y,Basketmouth, Dbanj, Yomi casual, Deola Sagoe, Geneviveve Nnaji,Kunle Afolayan, Funke Akndele, Asa, might just have been part of the army of youngsters either unemployed or underemployed, but instead of complaining about the rate and state of unemployment in the country, they decided to activate their talent, developed it into a marketable product and are the better for it today.This paradigm requires a sense of initiative ,and hunger to embrace personal development in conjunction with willing to start on a small scale in the deployment of your talent.


Banke Meshida The CEO of BMPRO, one of Nigeria’s biggest make-up company converted her talent in beautifying people’s faces into a profession and today she is the personal make up artiste to Dame Patience Jonathan Nigeria’s first lady.Banky W, a strong music brand has consistently wooed the corporate world to his music talent garnering mouth watering endorsement deals in the process as a result of the elegant deployment of his talent into a skill and then into a product people are willing to pay for.The deployment of your talent won’t be a stress less journey it will require a whole lot of hard work,persistence, business acumen, and eye for opportunities.

It is also vital to be patient in the deployment of your talent.Anything worth its salt takes time.Dont be in a rush to make it ‘Big’.Be willing to start small, humble yourself and learn from the successes and failures of others.In the words of Publilius Syrus:’ "Do not despise the bottom rungs in the ascent to greatness." Even if you ve not discovered your talent, be willing to work no matter how little the pay may be.It is not what you are paid that matters, it is what you become(in terms of skill development and experience that counts.
Make a decision to be an asset to this country inspite of the gloom and death of integrity.Remember its your life after all.Cursing the government for your unemployment only adds petrol to your fiery experience.Find something doing.For a start, look beyond Asorock,and unveil your inner treasure to your world.You can make it happen!

Kehinde Ajose is a Talent development coach who helps individuals to discover and develop their talents in order to be global brands.Follow him on twitter @ splendidkenny.E.mail:splendidkenny01@yahoo.com