FUTA Career Services Centre Holds Orientation Seminar for Fresh Students

The Centre for Career Services of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has held a career orientation seminar for newly admitted students of the 2025/2026 academic session, aimed at guiding them on how to maximise the opportunities embedded in their courses of study and leverage university education in a technology-driven world.

The seminar took place on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, and featured seasoned academics who addressed the fresh students on education, career development, flexibility, and personal growth.

One of the resource persons, Professor Sesan Ayodeji, a recipient of the Nigerian Prize for Science, stressed the enduring value of education, countering the growing narrative that education is a “scam.” He stated that education is life itself, not merely preparation for life, and outlined its benefits to include numeracy, lifelong personal transformation, access to regulated careers, networking opportunities, and platforms for skill development.

Professor Ayodeji explained that the perception of education as a scam often arises from weak training systems, job scarcity, and a mismatch between academic content and market demands. He emphasised that education remains powerful when combined with relevant skills. He advised students against chasing quick money or engaging in unproductive part-time activities, urging them instead to build skills alongside their degrees, acquire proof of competence, and network strategically. According to him, while school is not a scam, relying solely on certificates without skills can be.

In his lecture titled “University: A Gateway to Freedom or a Form of Bondage,” the Dean of the School of Computing, Professor Boniface Alese, described education as a tool for intellectual freedom rather than confinement. He noted that university education exposes students to diverse ideas, cultures, and global interactions, and should not be reduced to rigid academic routines.

Professor Alese cautioned that education only becomes a form of bondage when students limit their university experience to grades, examinations, and narrow specialisation. He encouraged the students to remain flexible and explore opportunities beyond their core disciplines, pointing out that many FUTA graduates have succeeded in fields unrelated to their original courses of study by embracing adaptability while in school.

The Director of the Centre for Career Services, Professor Folashade Dahunsi, also addressed the students on the theme “What Do I Do When What I Bargained For Is Not What I Get?” She reassured students who were admitted into courses different from their initial choices, urging them not to panic or consider quitting but to focus on turning the situation into an opportunity for growth.

Professor Dahunsi advised the students to seek mentorship, adjust their mindset, and concentrate on what they can build rather than what they feel they have lost. She encouraged them to set clear academic and career goals and to engage the services of the Career Services Centre for guidance and support. She concluded by reminding them that while life may not always deliver what one initially bargained for, it consistently presents opportunities for development and self-discovery.

The seminar formed part of FUTA’s ongoing efforts to equip students with the mindset and tools required for academic success and career relevance beyond the classroom.