Professor Kehinde Oluwaseun Kester Urges Nigerian Organisations to Prioritise Workforce Training during UI 563rd Inaugural Lecture

Professor Kehinde Oluwaseun Kester, a renowned Professor of Industrial Education and Training, has called on Nigerian organisations to integrate training and retraining into their corporate culture. Speaking during the 563rd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan, delivered on behalf of the Faculty of Education, Kester stressed the need for organisations to align training with their strategic goals while dedicating adequate resources and time for employee development.

Titled "Thou Shall Sharpen Thy Tools," the lecture marked the thirteenth in the university’s 2023/2024 academic session. Professor Kester highlighted the importance of preparing a future-ready workforce to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving work environment, driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and emerging technologies.

He urged the government to mandate a policy requiring both public and private sectors to allocate 2% of their annual payroll for workforce development. Additionally, he advocated for the creation of a tax-based fund, similar to TETFund, where high-profit organisations contribute a percentage of their profits towards training initiatives.

"Training is crucial for enhancing employee skills, boosting productivity, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth," Kester stated. He also emphasized that training programs must not only be offered but also effectively applied in the workplace, warning that sharpening skills without practical application would render them useless.

Kester’s lecture underscored the critical role of skill acquisition in ensuring employees stay relevant, improve their career prospects, and contribute to the overall productivity of Nigerian industries. He called on the Federal Government, unions, and organisations to invest in human capital development to sustain national growth.