The Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), Federal Capital Territory (FCT)/Nasarawa Chapter, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), has urged graduates of chemical engineering and other professionals across the country to develop skills and initiatives that will position them as job creators rather than waiting for paid employment.
The call was made during a workshop titled “Transitioning from Job Seeker to Job Creator” held at the NSE Secretariat, National Engineering Centre, Central Business District, Abuja.
The workshop, facilitated by Mamoud Abubakar, Chief Executive Officer of Engineering and Environmental Management Services Limited, was organised in response to rising unemployment, underemployment and economic uncertainty affecting engineering graduates and young professionals in Nigeria.
Speakers noted that although engineering education provides graduates with strong technical competence, many struggle to secure jobs due to the limited capacity of the labour market to absorb the growing number of graduates. They stressed the need for a shift towards entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
According to the organisers, the workshop was designed to introduce participants to entrepreneurship principles, business opportunity identification and enterprise development using engineering knowledge and technical expertise.
In a lecture titled “The Concept of Entrepreneurial Mindset,” which formed the foundation of the workshop, Abubakar explained the difference between a job seeker’s mindset and an entrepreneurial mindset. He said individuals with a job seeker’s mindset typically focus on securing employment in existing organisations, while entrepreneurs concentrate on identifying problems and developing solutions that create value and generate income.
Participants were encouraged to begin viewing their environment from a problem-solving perspective rather than solely as a source of employment opportunities.
The training also covered the basics of business planning and enterprise development, including market considerations, operational requirements and financial planning necessary for sustainability.