The Cross River State Government has unveiled a paid internship scheme aimed at helping young graduates gain practical work experience and improve their chances of securing employment.
The government said the initiative was part of the state government’s broader strategy to address the experience barrier confronting young graduates and create sustainable pathways from education to employment.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development and Skills Acquisition, Odum-Ijom Ukam, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference to mark the 2026 International Youth Day in Calabar.
According to him, many young people are often required to have work experience before securing employment, but are denied the opportunity to acquire such experience in the first place.
He said the paid internship programme would provide young people with opportunities to gain practical workplace experience, develop professional competencies, understand institutional processes and build networks that could improve their prospects for long-term employment and entrepreneurship.
“Many young people are told that they need experience before they can secure employment. Yet, they cannot acquire that experience without being given the first opportunity in the first place,”Ukam said.
The commissioner explained that the initiative was designed not only to address the question of what young people could learn but also where they could apply the knowledge and skills acquired.
Ukam said the state government was shifting its approach to youth development from one-off empowerment programmes to sustainable systems that would enable young people to acquire relevant skills, access opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.
He said the government’s flagship “Skills in the Hands” programme was also designed to equip young people with practical skills and create pathways for them to turn those skills into sustainable livelihoods.
The commissioner said the government was committed to strengthening the connection between skills development, entrepreneurship, enterprise creation and emerging demands of the modern economy.
He also disclosed that the state was collaborating with development partners, including through the Nigerian Jubilee Fellowship Programme, to create structured work opportunities and professional exposure for young people.
Ukam called on businesses, financial institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, universities and other stakeholders to deepen their investment in youth development.
He said, “We need more businesses willing to provide internships. We need more institutions willing to support apprenticeships. We need more investors willing to finance youth-led enterprises and more technology companies willing to provide digital opportunities.”
The commissioner maintained that investing in young people was an economic and social investment, stressing that skilled and productive youths would contribute significantly to the development of Cross River State.
He added that the state government would continue to promote youth participation in governance, entrepreneurship, innovation and other sectors while ensuring that opportunities reached young people across the 18 local government areas of the state.