…‘Degrees open doors, skills keep them open’ — DVC
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), business executives, recruiters and employers of labour have converged on Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, to connect graduating students with employment, internship and mentorship opportunities at the institution’s 2026 Employability Fair.
The two-day event, themed “Beyond the Degree: Unlocking Skills, Networks and Opportunities for a Dynamic Job Market,” brought the corporate world directly to the university campus, allowing students to interact with prospective employers and industry leaders before graduation.
Declaring the fair open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olalekan Asikhia, said Caleb University was committed to producing graduates equipped with more than academic certificates.
He said the institution was deliberately preparing students with the knowledge, character, practical competence and entrepreneurial mindset required to succeed in today’s competitive workplace.
According to him, employers should see Caleb graduates as strategic assets capable of contributing to organisational growth and innovation.
“Hiring a graduate of this University is not an act of charity or corporate social responsibility. It is a strategic business decision,”
Asikhia said, noting that Caleb graduates possess adaptability, technological competence, resilience and leadership qualities.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation, Strategy and Administration (RISA) and Chairman of the Employability Fair Planning Committee, Professor Adesola Adetutu Ajayi, urged students to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the event.
“Degrees open doors; skills keep them open,”
Ajayi said, stressing the importance of practical skills in sustaining successful careers.
The University’s Multipurpose Hall became a hive of corporate activity as students moved between exhibition booths, interacted with recruiters, presented their credentials and discussed career opportunities.
Several participating organisations conducted preliminary interviews and aptitude assessments, while others offered internship placements, graduate trainee opportunities, mentorship, career coaching and professional networking opportunities.
The event also featured career-focused sessions designed to equip students with practical knowledge on recruitment, leadership and workplace success.
The Principal Consultant, Nathan Leadgate Limited, Dr. Olumuyiwa Akinrole Oludayo, urged students to develop leadership experience through campus activities, volunteering and extracurricular engagements, noting that such experiences could distinguish candidates during recruitment.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, Glanvil Enthoven Insurance Brokers and Pension, Dr. Supo Falana, advised students to develop skills aligned with their interests and embrace constructive feedback as part of their professional growth.
The Founder of SEED Care and Support Foundation, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, urged students to combine professional competence with integrity, resilience and emotional intelligence.
“The greatest competitive advantage is not your certificate; it is the person you become,”
she said.
Ajayi also said Nigeria had abundant talent but lacked enough platforms to connect young people with opportunities.
“Talent is not our problem in Nigeria. Opportunities and connections are,”
she said, explaining that the fair was designed to bridge the gap between talented graduates and employers.
The Principal Information and Media Expert of Caleb University, Mr. Olawale Adekoya, described the programme as a strategic investment in the future of the institution’s students.
He said the fair was helping to break down traditional barriers between academia and industry by bringing corporate employers directly to campus.
Adekoya added that beyond jobs and internships, the programme exposed students to the realities of the modern workplace and helped them build professional relationships that could shape their careers.
The strong participation of CEOs, recruiters, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, according to observers, reflected growing confidence in the quality and competence of Caleb University graduates.
With the conclusion of the two-day fair, the University said its commitment remained focused on ensuring that graduation serves not as the end of learning, but as the beginning of purposeful careers, professional relationships and meaningful opportunities.
