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* Trains over 130 young Nigerians in sales and workplace readiness

Ayodeji Ake

HYT Consulting has completed the third edition of its Employability Bootcamp, training over 130 graduates, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members and early-career professionals in practical sales, workplace readiness and employability skills.

The five-day bootcamp, which held from June 22 to 26 2026, focused on Financial Services and FMCG sales, was designed to address a persistent gap in Nigeria’s labour market: young people are leaving school with qualifications, but many still require practical exposure, and workplace skills to compete for available jobs. Through the Sales Cohort, HYT Consulting focused on one of the most accessible entry points into employment, equipping participants with the professional skills employers need across high-demand sectors.

This year’s cohort marked a significant expansion of the programme, with both physical and virtual participation options created to accommodate young Nigerians in Lagos and across other parts of the country. Most importantly, it reinforced the growing relevance of the HYT Employability Bootcamp as a practical human capital development platform, connecting young Nigerians to sector-relevant training, workplace readiness and job placement opportunities.

The closing ceremony also featured representation from the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), further situating the bootcamp within a broader conversation on youth employability and economic inclusion. It reaffirmed the importance of market-relevant training models like HYT’s in preparing young Nigerians for modern workplace opportunities.

Speaking on the impact of Cohort 3,  Founder/CEO of HYT Consulting, Folusho Odegbaike, said the bootcamp has grown into a practical platform for transforming young talent into employable professionals.

“HYT Employability Bootcamp has grown beyond just a training programme. It has become a platform where we transform talent into employable professionals. We equip our participants with the competence, confidence, professionalism and mindset to deliver for employers. Our goal is simple: to produce candidates who are able to create value from day one,” Odegbaike said.

She added that partnerships around employability are critical to building a stronger workforce pipeline for businesses and the wider economy.

“Ultimately, investing in people is not a cost; it is the highest return on investment an organisation can make. Organisations that partner with HYT benefit from a pipeline of candidates who are more engaging, committed and productive. When employees succeed, the company succeeds, and that is the value this bootcamp continues to

create for participants, employers and partners,” she said.

A representative of the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), Mr. Yusuf Adeoye, speaking at the closing ceremony, noted that youth employability remains central to building inclusive economic opportunities.

“Initiatives like the HYT Employability Bootcamp are important because they respond to the needs of the labour market and support young Nigerians with practical skills that can improve their readiness for work. By connecting training to employment pathways, programmes like this contribute to a stronger and more prepared youth workforce,” he said.

Adeoye further noted that collaboration between public institutions, training providers and the private sector remains important to expanding employability outcomes.

Speaking on the participants’ transformation recorded during the bootcamp, People Director, HYT Consulting Limited, Morayosola Bakare-Sofidiya, said the programme has helped participants move from raw potential to stronger workplace readiness. 

In her remarks: “This initiative is helping participants bridge the gap between leaving school as greenhorns and becoming ready for work. During the selection process, we observed that many of them had potential, but their responses were still a bit unrefined. By the end of the training, especially during interviews with prospective employers, the difference was clear. Their confidence had grown, they answered with more intelligence, and they became more open to the opportunities ahead of them.”

For participants, the bootcamp provided a clearer understanding of sales as a career pathway and how to present themselves for opportunities.

“Before the bootcamp, I saw sales mainly as getting people to buy a product. Now, I understand that sales is about helping people see how a product or service can solve their problems. I also learned a lot about professionalism, attitude and personal branding in the workplace. The experience has been fun, interactive and very insightful, and I learned not just from the trainers, but from everyone in the room,” said a participant of the HYT Employability Bootcamp Cohort 3, Tolulope Taiwo,.

Cohort 3 builds on two prior successful editions. HYT Consulting continues to position the Employability Bootcamp as a recurring platform for skills development, employer engagement and job placement support, with a focus on preparing young people for the modern workplace.