JCTEF Transformation Program | Cohort 1

Preparing young people for the future of work goes beyond teaching them a technical skill. It also requires helping them understand how to present themselves, navigate professional environments, identify opportunities and intentionally build the experience they need to grow.

This was the focus of a recent session of the JCTEF Transformation Program Cohort 1, as our Fellows explored Workforce Readiness and Career Development.

Learning From Experience

As part of JCTEF’s commitment to human capital development, we recognise that many young people enter the workforce without sufficient guidance on what professional life actually requires.

The transition from school to work can come with many questions: How do I prepare for an interview? What should my CV communicate? How should I conduct myself in the workplace? How do I gain experience when I have not yet had a formal job?

Providing the right guidance early can help young people approach these questions with greater clarity and confidence.

A Practical Session With an HR Professional

For this session, our Fellows were joined by Faleto Adeoye, an HR professional and HR Manager with experience in career development, training, learning and development, leadership and people management.

The session was practical and engaging, covering important areas of workplace and career readiness, including:

• Work ethics and professionalism
• Effective communication
• Workplace tools and practices
• Job interview preparation
• CV and resume development
• Professional conduct
• Practical approaches to succeeding in the workplace

Rather than focusing only on getting a job, the session encouraged Fellows to think about how they can prepare themselves for meaningful and sustainable career growth.

Start Preparing Before Graduation

One of the important conversations during the session was directed at Fellows who are still university students.

The message was simple:

You do not have to wait until graduation before you start preparing for your career.

Young people can begin building relevant experience while they are still students. Volunteering, participating in projects, supporting organisations and taking on meaningful responsibilities can provide opportunities to develop skills and understand professional environments.

More importantly, Fellows were encouraged to document the experiences they gain.

The experience may become part of their CV, but beyond that, it becomes part of their professional story.

Looking Beyond the Paycheck

Another important reflection from the session was the need to think intentionally about why we want to work.

While income is an important part of employment, career decisions can also be considered from the perspective of purpose, alignment, learning and growth.

Does the work align with your goals?

Will it give you opportunities to learn?

Does the environment allow you to develop and take on greater responsibilities?

These are questions young people can begin considering as they make career decisions.

Taking Learning Beyond the Classroom

The session also created an opportunity for practical follow-up.

Faleto offered to provide additional guidance to some of the Fellows who actively participated, including supporting them through the process of revamping their CVs using a practical case-study approach.

This is an important part of the JCTEF Transformation Program: learning should not end when the class ends. Fellows are encouraged to take what they learn, apply it, reflect on it and continue developing.

Building More Career-Ready Young People

At JCTEF, we believe that human transformation creates economic transformation.

Workforce readiness is therefore an important part of the Transformation Program. We want our Fellows to have more than knowledge. We want them to develop the awareness, discipline, confidence and practical capabilities needed to navigate opportunities and contribute meaningfully wherever they find themselves.

The goal is not simply to help young people get their first job.

It is to help them prepare, position themselves, grow and build sustainable careers.

We are grateful to Faleto Adeoye for sharing his knowledge, experience and practical guidance with our Fellows, and we commend the Fellows who showed up, participated and engaged throughout the session.

The journey continues.

Potential alone is not enough. Potential must be discovered, developed, disciplined and directed.

JCTEF Transformation Program — Cohort 1
Human Capital Development and Transformation 💚💙