FUNAAB Holds Workshop on Building Future-Ready Laboratory Professionals

The Directorate of Technologists and Technical Staff (DITTECS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), has organised a One-Day Capacity-Building Workshop to equip laboratory professionals with the technical and interpersonal competencies required to excel in today's rapidly evolving academic and workplace environments.

The workshop, themed "Building Future-Ready Laboratory Professionals: Essential Hard and Soft Skills for Academic and Workplace Excellence," was held on June 15, 2026, at the Green Chamber, FUNAAB. It attracted laboratory technologists, technical staff, and other participants from across the University Community.

In her Welcome Address, the Director of DITTECS, Dr. 'Wunmi Abimbola-Okuneye, expressed profound appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, for his unwavering support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the professional capacity of laboratory personnel and enhancing their contributions to scientific innovation and institutional excellence.

Dr. Abimbola-Okuneye emphasised that technical competencies such as laboratory techniques, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), scientific literacy, quantitative analysis, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, laboratory safety, and biosafety remain indispensable to scientific excellence.

She, however, noted that technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient in today's competitive workplace. According to her, competencies such as effective communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, leadership, mentorship, and integrity have become equally essential for achieving professional success and driving organisational growth.

Delivering the keynote lecture, the Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Dr. Peter Adefisoye, underscored the importance of continuous professional development, urging laboratory personnel to embrace lifelong learning and consistently upgrade their knowledge and skills.

He identified emerging trends including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), cloud computing, hybrid work environments, and global scientific collaborations as innovations reshaping laboratory practice worldwide.

While reaffirming the critical role of technical competence, Dr. Adefisoye stressed that career advancement increasingly depends on the ability to demonstrate strong soft skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and effective time management.

He encouraged participants to seek opportunities to gain exposure to sophisticated laboratory equipment and emerging technologies, even where such facilities were not readily available within their institutions, noting that proactive self-development often creates pathways to greater career opportunities.

The keynote speaker also highlighted the importance of understanding laboratory instrumentation, developing equipment troubleshooting skills, maintaining high operational standards, and improving scientific writing, presentation, and communication abilities. In addition, he encouraged laboratory professionals to obtain and maintain professional licences while actively participating in professional networks, describing these as valuable tools for career progression, collaboration, and economic empowerment.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Adefisoye urged participants to mentor younger colleagues, document their professional expertise, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning, stressing that sustained self-improvement remains the hallmark of successful laboratory professionals in the modern scientific landscape.

Other dignitaries present at the workshop included the representative of the University Librarian, Dr. Samuel Adeyoyin, and the immediate past Director of DITTECS, Dr. Julius Amira, among other distinguished members of the University Community.

The workshop reaffirmed FUNAAB's commitment to building a highly skilled, innovative, and globally competitive workforce capable of advancing scientific research, supporting institutional excellence, and contributing meaningfully to national development.