L-R: Mrs. Crystal Chigbu, Founder Irede Foundation; Dr Olawale Anifowose, Managing Director Global Entrepreneurship Network, Nigeria; Dr Nneka Okekearu, Director Enterprise Development Centre of Pan Atlantic University; Mrs. Shuhda Muhammed Founder and CEO Tripoint Academy and Tripoint Travels; Mr. Allen Awosikunde, Senior Vice President Sabre Central and West Africa; Mrs. Uche Uzoebo Managing Director SANEF (Share Agent Network Expansion Facilities); Mr. Olawale Ajiboye Founder and Curator 16Stories.org at the graduation of Cohort 1 of Tripoint Academy Internship programme in Lagos recently.
Tripoint Travels has taken the bold first step in addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: Youth unemployment, unemployability and underemployment.
Through its newly launched Tripoint Academy Internship Programme, the organisation is pioneering a model that trains young Nigerians to be truly employable, while also offering them real job opportunities.
The first cohort of the six-month programme graduated this weekend in Lagos. Out of seven interns, three have already been offered jobs at Tripoint Travels, while partner organisations are considering others.
Mrs. Shuhda Muhammed, Managing Director of Tripoint Travels and founder of Tripoint Academy, described the programme as a prototype designed to prove that Nigerian Youths, when given the right skills and guidance, can become assets to any industry.
“I came to the realisation, being an entrepreneur myself and running Tripoint Travels, that we need to have good employees. What that means is, we need intrapreneurs in our organisations for us to be able to grow, scale up and thrive in any industry. And one of the challenges we’ve been facing as entrepreneurs is employment, employability, because most of the youths out there are already educated.”
The MD of Tripoint Travels has referred to this programme as more than an internship – but as the start of a movement. Mrs Muhammed hopes to see more organisations adopt this model and has urged them to grow talents to grow a workforce of employable young Nigerians who are ready to stay, work and thrive in Nigeria.
The Tripoint Academy Internship Programme combines hands-on business training with personal development, designed to turn graduates into Intrapreneurs who bring creativity, responsibility and growth mindsets into the workplace.
Industry stakeholders lauded the initiative. Dr. Olawale Anifowose, Managing Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (Nigeria), praised Tripoint’s bold step; he said that “Tripoint Travels has confronted one of the biggest challenges businesses face, which is talent management and finding the right people to work within their company. By equipping young people with practical skills, they are setting an example that other organisations should follow.”
One of the graduates, Taiwo Fapohunda, echoed the impact of the programme. He said: “It has been an eye-opener that has shifted me to become a better person. With the skills and confidence I have gained, I know I can grow and contribute meaningfully in the world of aviation and beyond”
Tripoint Travels is calling on entrepreneurs, organisations and institutions to replicate this model, scale it up and help curb unemployment across the country.
“This is just the beginning”, Mrs Muhammed added. “This is the first trial, and it came out amazing. We’ve shown that it can work, now imagine the impact on the economy if a greater number of organisations across Nigeria can adopt this approach.”
