Overview of the Problem
According to World Bank data, 60% of Nigeria’s over 200m population are youths. The same data reveals that 2m youths are admitted into the various higher institutions in the country every year. At the same time, 600,000 graduates are produced within the same period.
These graduates enter the labour market looking for opportunities to work in the top organisations in the country and fulfil their dreams of being gainfully employed. Unfortunately, they do not always have access to these opportunities, ensuring they stay unemployed.
This is worrying when you consider that youth unemployment currently stands at 35%. It means these graduates could do with an avenue to get into the top organisations where they can create value.
On the other hand, many top organisations in the country seek and desire fresh graduates to join their organisations every year. They pursue this category of talent because they are young, ambitious, full of new ideas, technologically savvy, ready to learn and make an impact, and so on.
Therefore, organisations search for these young talents they believe will be the future leaders of their organisation, driving their aspirations and turning their expectations into realities. They ensure that they get the best of the best out there, giving them an edge over their numerous competitors.
However, organisations don’t just accept anyone. They need talent who are certified to be among the best in the country. In addition, they are also wary of the enormous cost and time it takes to recruit graduate trainees. In essence, there are two sides to this.
- Organisations who are looking for the top graduate trainees to hire for their business,
- Graduate talent who are seeking opportunities to get into these organisations.
The Solution
The Top Talent Graduate Trainee Programme started in 2017 to bridge the gap between prospective employers and employment-ready top graduate talent without going through the rigours of the selection process.
The programme attracts applications from thousands of top graduates yearly. The best of them get selected after rounds of screening are done. These talents are given the platform to meet with top organisations looking to hire them.
Below is a breakdown of how it works:
The Process
Sourcing is done using social media and job forums to reach candidates from different parts of the country. Top talent encourages diversity in recruitment; therefore, applications are received from different tribes and gender. We also reached out to educational institutions we identified that produced brilliant candidates to also benefit from the programme.
The Assessment/Screening Process
Here’s an overview of the screening process below:
- Online Assessment for Ability Testing: Due to the thousands of applications we usually receive, we conduct an online assessment to test competencies such as problem-solving ability and analytical thinking using numbers, data and written information. This assessment also gives the candidates equal chances to prove their mettle from the comfort of their homes. The assessment comprises the Numerical Reasoning Test, the Verbal Reasoning Test and the Critical Reasoning Test.
- Extempore Exercise: Next is the Extempore Exercise. The candidates are given random topics and are told to make presentations on them. This tests their oral communication skills.
- Assessment Centre: The next stage is the Assessment Centre. A host of exercises are deployed to test for leadership, communication, learning agility, strategic thinking, analytical thinking, creative problem-solving, drive for results and teamwork. The exercises deployed include the Competency-based Interview, Group Exercise, Presentation, Analytical Exercise, Writing Exercise, and Puzzle Games.
- Personal Business Model Class: After the three rounds of exercises, the qualified candidates are then groomed ahead of the day of the main event. The main event is the career day, where the candidates are presented before the top employers looking to hire them. They are taken through a personal business model class that educates them on creating their business model. The course is usually immersive and interactive, with the participants given exercises to prove how conversant they are with the subject matter.
Candidates who make it to this stage are considered extraordinary graduate trainees.
The Result
At the end of the exercise, the candidates are then invited to meet with top employers who are willing to hire the ones they believe will fit into their organisation. Many of these top candidates have been placed in different organisations such as GTCO, Sahara Group, Nestle, Unity Bank, etc. Organisations are able to hire graduate trainees at a subsidised cost while also enjoying the benefit of reduced time of recruitment.
Testimonials
Participating organisations and candidates have also had their say about their experience going through the Top Talent recruitment process. Watch a few of the videos below.
- Employers Share Their Experience at Top Talent Graduate Trainee Programme 2022
- 2017 Top Talent Graduate Trainee Testimonial powered by Workforce Group
At Workforce Group, we have a host of recruitment offerings. One of them is the Graduate Trainee Programme/Entry-level Recruitment. In addition, the Top Talent Programme further reinforces how well-grounded we are when it comes to our ability to identify, assess and recruit graduate trainees for our clients.
Are you looking for fresh graduates in your organisation? Kindly schedule a consultation here.
