If there is anything I have learnt in life it is that the defining moments in our lives boil down to just one important choice and our action or inaction on that decision. For me, in retrospect, the decision to be a part of HCD Centre is very well among the best decisions I have ever made. Grab a popcorn, sit back and relax as I relive my experience at this amazing training with you!
On a very good morning, I saw a handful of faces; familiar faces, with fliers. One of them approached me and started talking about this program with the potential to be life changing. I was in a haste so I took the flier. When I got home and read it, I was thrilled. I did not at that time understand all that the training had to offer but seeing the number of skills I could acquire from the program made me feel powerful in advance. For long I had been ruminating on how to survive life after school. I didn’t need a seer to see that I was ill-prepared for life after school and that this training could just be the one thing I need to soar high.
However, I was hit hard by reality when I saw the amount of money it would cost to be a part of the training (N12,500 at that time but thankfully the training is free now!). There were other hurdles like mapping out time at weekends and other little sacrifices but I knew that even if I could surmount all the trifles I could not make the payment. I had hit the end of a cul-de-sac and it felt like this was going to be another story of “the one that got away”. But the story took an interesting turn. I met Abel (the campus lead) one day introducing the program to some guy and I heard him say something about ambassadors. As we discussed later he told me the benefits of ambassadorship. I told him I would like to be one. He said there were enough ambassadors at the moment but he would let me know if the opportunity came up again. I literally clung to that straw of hope and after some days Abel accosted me and said the ambassadorial post was up for grabs; and grab it I did! Just like a movie things started clicking into place but the best parts are yet to be told. I Hope you are not out of popcorn!
I initially found the marketing challenging but once we had met Mr Eyitayo, he infused energy, passion and zeal into me through the experiences he related. With even a much better understanding of what HCD Centre is all about I became better at my marketing and could comfortably drill people on why they need this program. Thus, I acquired marketing skills even before the training commenced officially! We had a series of meetings at which we mapped out marketing strategies and cemented the necessary plans for the smooth running of the training. This was another pre-training skill and experience and I enjoyed every moment of them even though I had to go out of my way to be there.
Now, at the training proper I came to see the wisdom in the saying “information is power”. This program helped me see that much of what I believed in was trash. The first training session taken by Mr Eyitayo on project management was a real eye opener. He made us see that life out there goes beyond going to lectures and scoring straight A’s and coming out with first class or 2.1 class of grade.
Life is more about adding value to whatever you are coming out with. It is not about getting the degree employers want, it is about getting the skills that make employers “want” you!
It is not about having faith and praying for things to fall into your laps, it is about jumping up and plucking opportunities as if from a fruit tree. You have to be on your feet and do things that add value to your life. At this point I was already shaken to my very core. I realized that I have been guilty of chasing and hiding behind good grades but these will not make me successful if I have no skills or values added to myself. He said all these with so much conviction that I can say without the fear of being wrong that I speak everyone’s mind when I say we were all touched! With this rousing opening our minds were well prepared and primed for the information coming our way!
The training focused on 3 main areas (project management, lean entrepreneurship,and cooperate leadership). Mr Eyitayo Ogunmola himself trained us on project management. He explained to us the rudiments of this valuable skill. The steps involved in project management and at a point he gave us a taste of project management by dividing us into groups and giving us a project to work on. It was very fun as it gave us the opportunity to learn how to work with people, make useful contributions and rub minds together. At the end of every session with him we always had a mini project to work on which I always looked forward to with Glee!
We also had two other amazing persons ( Mr Samuel Akinlotan, an HR Practitioner and Mr Toluwase Olaniyan). We were also treated to the experience of the Director of Operations who is also a leading HR manager of a real estate company. She told us the importance of volunteering for intern jobs as a way of acquiring experience. She told us about LinkedIn and how she got her first job on LinkedIn urging us to open a LinkedIn account and start building our profile. Mr Toluwase trained us on cooperate leadership and career path modeling. How to build a successful career irrespective of what we are studying or what we are graduating with. He used himself as a classic example, telling us how even though he did not make 2.1 he has been able to forge a career for himself. Mr Samuel also thrilled us with organisational structures, business model canvas and the qualities of a good leader. He also trained us on how to write a CV.
Of course the constraint of conciseness will not allow me to spill it all the way it is bubbling in my head but there is no denying that the HCD Centre training was invaluable. I have learnt in 4 weeks valuable skills I can never learn in all the 4 years I will spend in school! As an ambassador it is my desire to see many more people become a part of this program that will make them something in life because ‘a world where everyone is someone is the best world for everyone’! Thanks to HCD Centre for the wonderful experience
From Anyanwu Banabas.
